Colchester United sporting director Dmitri Halajko on window

The U’s have received interest in their promising young first-team players in the lead up to tonight’s deadline but have not had any firm offers.

U’s sporting director Halajko says it would have to be a ‘very, very good’ offer to prise any of Colchester’s young starlets away from the JobServe Community Stadium before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

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Halajko said: “We've had lots of enquiries, very much so. We've got a lot of value in our squad this year, if you look at the age of our squad.

"There's a lot of players that could hold value and there's a lot of players that could play at a higher level.

“We've had plenty of enquiries across the board but no firm bids but we're not in a position where we have to sell.

"But we're not in a position where we have to sell so as and when those enquiries come in, we can knock them back - it would have to be a very, very good offer because we don't have to sell.

“We’re fortunate enough to have a chairman who's trying to back the project and not take money out of the project or make a profit for his own gain - he's trying to give the football club the best squad it can be. He's not trying to recoup or take money out.

“We're fortunate also that we have players here who are of an age where they can develop with us, go on and be part of the journey and part of something and we have people who are tied down on contracts.

“We try and do our work early and do our work diligently and protect the club well by the length of contract and the options that we have, within those contacts.

“We're in a strong position if anyone does come in for any of our players - it's only going to be a real good deal that benefits the football club.

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"It's not going to be anything that we're forced into with our hands tied behind our backs.”

Colchester have signed five new players in the January window – with four of them coming in on loan.

The U’s have also allowed midfielder Alex Newby to leave and join Altrincham on a permanent basis and Halajko said they have a competitive squad.

“Alex Newby wanted a permanent deal so we managed to sort that out for him and that puts money back in the budget,” he added.

“We have been spending it but equally, we have been recouping it too and trying to balance it.

“Retaining the players now is the hard bit - I don't think as we stand at the moment that we'll be looking to get any more transfers in unless we lose people.

"We've got a big squad now, a good squad, a competitive squad - if we lose anyone, we might have to replenish but we don't want to.

“We want to try and retain everyone if possible but if offers come in that are very good offers and if the player has a desire to move on, then sometimes you have to look at those.

"But I'd be quite happy if the window shut now, to be honest.”