First-team coach John McGreal is considering letting Macauley Bonne leave Colchester United for Lincoln City, on-loan.
The transfer window rules do not apply to National League team, meaning the Imps are free to pursue the Zimbabwe forward.
The Ipswich-born 20-year-old has made four appearances for the U’s this season, but just one start – Tuesday’s EFL Trophy defeat at Crawley – and could be sent to Sincil Bank to get some game time. He signed a new, two-year deal in the summer.
Lincoln, managed by former Braintree Town boss Danny Cowley, lost in-form striker Johnny Margetts to Scunthorpe in midweek, and McGreal revealed: “We have been approached by Lincoln for Macauley and that’s ongoing, so we will have to make a decision.
“Macauley needs games in his preferred position. He can play the number 10 role and in wide areas, but he is most effective when running at defenders as a number nine.
“Lincoln have made that approach and they have had a good start to the season.
“It’s a good club, a big club, so we will have to see how that develops.”
Meanwhile, McGreal has given an update on his injured players, ahead of the U’s home game with Exeter, on Saturday.
“Doug Loft is still struggling with his Achilles/calf area at the moment,” said the U’s boss.
“He has gone with Tony Flynn (first-team physio) to get that looked at, along with Frankie Kent (knee) so that’s two players we are lacking at the moment.”
Another player working his way back to fitness is former Ipswich midfielder Owen Garvan, but McGreal explained the 28-year-old Dubliner’s return was not imminent.
“Owen is not fit at the minute, he might have trained today with the (under) 23s but that would be his first session for a couple of weeks,” McGreal added yesterday.
“Before that he got injured against Southend so he has had a really stop-start season and he needs to get himself up and running.
“He will need training time and game time before he puts himself in the first-team picture.
“We have a clean bill of health apart from that with Tarique being added to the squad.”
Fellow new signing Glen Kamara is away with Finland Under-21s this weekend.-Greenun24.co.uk
