Colchester United aiming to add more signings in transfer window

The versatile Ellis Iandolo and young centre-back Nico Lawrence have both been snapped up by the U’s from Swindon Town and Southampton respectively, ahead of the forthcoming 2023-24 campaign in League Two.

But the club – and head coach Ben Garner – will certainly feel there are other areas that need strengthening, if Colchester are to be a force in the fourth tier again, after three successive seasons of struggle.

READ MORE: Former U's striker leaves League Two club

And now we are into July, when many players contracts officially start and end, more movement is expected as clubs' pursuit of new recruits in the transfer window hots up.

It is possible that Colchester are cautiously monitoring any firm interest in Junior Tchamadeu, Noah Chilvers or any of their other rising young stars, before they really make a move for reinforcements.

The profit the sale of a talented young player like U’s player of the year Tchamadeu, who at just 19 years old brings much potential, could be a game changer for the club in terms of strengthening their squad.

Such a strategy being installed by the likes of Robbie Cowling, sporting director Dmitri Halajko and head of recruitment, Ross Embleton would be understandable and sensible.

READ MORE: U's new boy Ellis Iandolo hopes this will be a 'big asset' this season

Nevertheless, it is a plan that is not without risk, particularly if no further players follow Ossama Ashley through the exit door, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Ashley’s departure to Salford City came as a surprise to some; by the end of his solitary campaign with the U’s, he had established himself as a regular in Ben Garner’s starting line-up.

But while we are not privy to the fee Colchester have received for the former West Ham United youngster, the money they have received for him represents a profit given his arrival as a free agent, last summer.

Iandolo can fulfil a central midfield role and Marley Marshall Miranda now has 27 first-team appearances under his belt, while Gene Kennedy will be hoping this will be his season to shine following an injury-hit campaign, last time around.

READ MORE: Why U's fans should not feel too disheartened by Ossama Ashley's exit

Nevertheless, Ashley’s departure, along with Cole Skuse’s retirement, has left them a little light in central midfield and it is certainly an area they could well be looking to strengthen, in the coming few weeks.

Another position Colchester could bolster is that of goalkeeper, following Kieran O’Hara’s release and Tom Smith’s return to parent club Arsenal following the end of his loan spell.

In order to fit in with his positive, attacking style of play, Garner will no doubt have specified the recruitment of a goalkeeper comfortable with the ball at his feet, for whom distribution is a real strength.

Sam Hornby will be hoping to challenge for a starting spot after recovering from a shoulder operation and young Ted Collins is under contract and regarded as a player of promise, by the U’s.

But it would be a surprise if Colchester did not look for reinforcements to work under the guidance of goalkeeper coach Graham Stack in that area, before the window closes.

READ MORE: Ben Garner makes transfer pledge as U's hunt new signings

Attack is another area which will likely see additions in the coming weeks and specifically, the striker/centre-forward position.

The U’s were last week linked with a swoop for Harry McKirdy, who appears to be out of favour at Scottish Premiership club, Hibernian.

A move for McKirdy would make sense, given how prolific he was under U’s boss Garner in the 2021-22 season.

Bringing in the striker might not be straight forward; he has two years remaining on his contract at Hibs and Colchester are unlikely to be the only ones interested in snapping him up.

In addition, McKirdy has to be the right fit for the dynamic and personality of Garner’s squad.

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But he is a player that knows League Two well and might well have a point to prove, given his last 12 months or so.

Colchester do already have plenty of options in the forward department.

John Akinde, Samson Tovide, Tom Hopper and Matt Jay are all still at the U’s for next season, while young strikers Jake Hutchinson and Bradley Ihionvien will be hoping to break into the first-team set-up.

But the fact that the U’s were the second-lowest scorers in League Two last season with just 44 goals is likely to mean they will pursue at least one additional option in the forward area.

They may not be the only positions that Garner and the club’s recruitment target before the window closes, on September 1.

Garner preferred a system with wing-backs in his first two months with the club and if that is the case again, he may well want to pursue back up in that area, particularly if Tchamadeu leaves.

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Iandolo provides an option at left wing-back with young Al-Amin Kazeem also in contention while at right wing-back, Will Greenidge finished the season in the starting line-up and is a potential replacement for Tchamadeu, should he depart.

But Ashley’s exit has deprived Colchester of an extra option in the right-sided defensive role and that could prompt them to further strengthen, in that area.

Garner would ideally like any new players to be snapped up sooner rather than later, in order to have time to bed them in ahead of the big kick-off, on August 5.

And with the season drawing ever closer and more players keen to find a new club as the clock ticks down, there promises to be plenty of more additions at the U’s in the coming weeks.