COLCHESTER United could push to turn their loan signings into permanent moves once they have secured their League Two status.

The U’s snapped up four loanees in last month’s transfer window, with Alistair Smith, Riley Harbottle, Jayden Richardson and Harry Anderson all arriving at the JobServe Community Stadium.

The quartet have already featured prominently for Colchester since joining and have been regular starters under Danny Cowley since joining the club.

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Colchester sporting director Dmitri Halajko said signing the quartet on a permanent basis was not an option for them in the last transfer window but could be something they explore, in the summer.

Halajko said: “Stabilising this season is the priority.

“Some of those loan players are certainly players where if there was an opportunity to make that relationship longer in the summer, then that might come about and it might be something that we’re interested in, because we feel that they’re all good players.

“We’ll have to wait and see and the key thing is to stabilise this year first.

“Some of the loan players we got in weren’t necessarily available (on permanent deals); if they were, we might have explored that option but it wasn’t an option right from the start.

Gazette:

“The only way we were going to get them in the building was to get them in on loan and then see how that goes past there.

“We want to build something here that progresses from where we are, at the moment.”

U's boss Cowley reiterated Halajko's views on the loanees in his programme notes for Colchester's recent home clash with Forest Green Rovers.

He said: "Jayden Richardson, Riley Harbottle, Alistair Smith and Harry Anderson bring League Two experience, athleticism, physicality and a winning mentality that will really add to the group. Although, these are only loan agreements at this point there is the potential to make these longer term relationships in the summer."

Colchester made four signings following Danny and Nicky Cowley’s appointment as the club’s new management team, at the start of last month.

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The U’s brought in players that will suit their new head coach’s style of play and Halajko said there were specific attributes they were looking for, when bolstering their squad.

Halajko said: “We’re going for a high energy, high pressing game style so we need players that are going to be athletic, we need players that can run, we need players that are going to be combative, when needed and also look for that footballer who we think can change a game or dictate a game with their technical ability.

“High energy and athleticism are definitely things we’ve been looking for.”