Colchester United boss Danny Cowley has confirmed there will be no hard deadlines for his out-of-contract players to sign new deals this summer.
The U’s are still in discussions with several senior figures as they prepare for the 2024/25 League Two campaign.
Cowley Maintains Flexible Approach to Contract Talks
Cowley revealed at the end of last season that they had opened talks with six players: Tom Flanagan, Lyle Taylor, Mandela Egbo, Fiacre Kelleher, Kane Vincent-Young and Frankie Terry. Since then, Kelleher has signed for Cork City, and it now appears unlikely that Egbo will return to the JobServe Community Stadium.
Despite the uncertainty, manager Danny Cowley says he won’t be imposing strict deadlines. Instead, the club are trying to take a fair and pragmatic approach given the financial context and recent instability in ownership.
“With the finance that we have and the offers that we’ve made, it wouldn’t be fair for me to say ‘this is the finance, you’re on significantly less money than you were on last year but I need you to sign by tomorrow’,” said Cowley. “I think you have to find a fairness really.”
Cowley explained that each offer made was the best the club could afford within their current budget, and players had been made aware of that from the outset. The message is clear: the door remains open, but the U’s are also preparing for departures.
Rebuild Continues Amid Ownership Uncertainty
The U’s have had to remain cautious in the market, with Cowley acknowledging that ownership issues have influenced their planning. Several top targets have already moved on elsewhere, and the club is now focusing on contingency plans.
Nonetheless, Cowley remains optimistic that solutions will be found. He stressed that while the situation is challenging, the club will press ahead with a positive mindset.
“We would really like them to re-sign. If they do, that would be great. If they don’t, then we’ve done our due diligence, we’ve done our work and we’ll try to move on,” he added.
The status of Taylor, Flanagan, Vincent-Young and Terry remains unresolved, but Cowley made it clear he still values their contributions. With pre-season now underway and new signings expected in the coming weeks, Colchester are determined to build a squad capable of pushing up the League Two table.
Writer’s View
Danny Cowley’s approach reflects both realism and respect. At a time when some clubs might panic or cut ties quickly, Colchester are choosing to be patient and fair—within their financial means. The loss of Kelleher and likely departure of Egbo are blows, but Cowley’s track record suggests he’ll have plans in place.
With no rush imposed on the remaining players, the next few weeks will be key in shaping how the U’s enter the new campaign—and how much of their experienced core remains in place.
