COLCHESTER United have been linked with a move to sign striker Sylvester Jasper on loan from Fulham.

The U's are on the hunt to boost their forward options ahead of the new League Two season.

Jasper, 19, progressed through the ranks at Fulham and has made five senior appearances for the West London club, to date.

He has been a regular performer for their under-23 and under-18 sides.

The attacker, who can operate on either flank or be deployed in a central role, scored eight goals in 16 appearances for the Cottagers under-23s last season.

Jasper made his senior debut for Fulham in January 2020 when he featured in their FA Cup tie against Manchester City, at the Etihad Stadium.

He went on to appear twice in the Championship in the 2019-20 season, against Brentford and Birmingham City and was named on the bench for Fulham's final Premier League clash against Newcastle United.

Jasper, who signed a new contract with Fulham in August 2020 keeping him at the club until the summer of 2023, last month spent time with League One side Sheffield Wednesday on trial.

He featured in the second half of the Owls' behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly against Barnsley.

Jasper is likely to be known to U's boss Hayden Mullins, who spent several years coaching in Watford's academy before leaving to join Colchester as assistant manager, last September.

Mullins was at Vicarage Road when new Fulham boss Marco Silva was in charge of the Hornets.

Colchester have recent history of signing young players on loan from Fulham.

Last summer, they snapped up young striker Martell Taylor-Crossdale on loan, ahead of the 2020-21 season.

However, he failed to make a league appearance for the U's and he returned to Craven Cottage that October, after his loan spell was ended by mutual consent.