Colchester United have offered a fresh deal to David Fox.

But U’s boss Tony Humes admits they may not be able to persuade the talented midfielder to return south.

Colchester are keen to retain the services of Fox, who played a big part in helping to keep them in League One this season.

But the former Manchester United trainee and his family are currently based in the north of the country.

And Humes admits that might scupper Colchester’s attempts to bring the player back to the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Humes said: “We’ve put in an offer to David and he’s considering it.

“We’re hoping to keep him because he’s a talented player who set a great example to the young players.

“But he has a lot to consider from a personal point of view and he may be looking to stay up north.

“He’s based in Manchester and there’s a lot for him to think about, in terms of him coming down here next season.

“We’ll give David the time to consider things and we’ll look at it over the next few weeks.

“It’s the same situation as anyone else that we’ve put an offer in to.”

Fox made a big impact after joining Colchester on a short-term deal as a free agent, last October.

The 31-year-old - who had previously played for the U’s in the 2009-10 season - made 33 appearances for them, scoring twice.

Fox skippered Colchester in the final weeks of the campaign and was a key player for them as they avoided the dreaded drop.

For all of the latest Colchester United news, see the Daily Gazette.