COLCHESTER United will reinvest some of the cash they received from Junior Tchamadeu’s sale back into the first-team budget for future transfer windows.

The U’s sold the League Two Young Player of the Year to Championship club Stoke City on deadline day for an undisclosed fee.

Colchester also sold midfielder Ossama Ashley to their League Two rivals Salford City earlier this summer, also for an undisclosed fee.

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U’s head coach Ben Garner says part of the money received for the duo will be ploughed back into the first-team purse for the future.

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Garner said: “Robbie (Cowling) works in a very clear way.

“There’s a percentage of it that will come back into the first-team budget.

“We’ll be able to utilise that moving forwards in future windows – whether we do that on transfer fees or wages, we’ve got a bit there.

“We’ve sold Ossama Ashley as well so we’ve made a good profit in transfer fees, in this window.

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“When you look at how many players have gone out and how many have come in, it’s a big turnaround.

“It’s not clicked as quickly as we’d have liked but we’ve seen against Gillingham what we’re capable of; it’s just a case of replicating that on a consistent basis.

“I think there’s been some good business in this window.

“We’ve pushed hard on some other things that haven’t got over the line.

“It’s going to be down to work on the training ground, improving and getting better.”

Gazette: Junior Tchamadeu

Garner says everyone at Colchester United is pleased for Tchamadeu, after he made his switch to Stoke.

The 19-year-old made nearly 100 league and cup appearances for Colchester after making his senior debut for the club in December, 2020.

“Junior has had a really good spell here, to get into the team so young, do what he did and go on and have the appearances he did and the individual accolades, last season,” said Garner.

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“Everyone at the club is really pleased for him getting that move.

“He’s happy with it, we’re happy with it and we wish him all the best and hope to see him go on and have a really promising career.”

Garner is confident Colchester’s new signings will strengthen his squad, once they are available.

Owura Edwards, Jay Mingi, Zach Mitchell and Yassine En-Neyah all arrived on deadline day, while Cameron McGeehan signed for the U’s on a one-year deal earlier this week after leaving Belgian club, KV Oostende.

Gazette: Cameron McGeehan

Garner added: “We’ve got to get those players up to speed.

“Zach’s fine but Jay hasn’t played since January.

“Owura has got a little injury at the moment so he’s probably going to be a few weeks away from being available.

“We’ve got to get them up to speed but it will certainly strengthen us and we need that.

“We haven’t got enough depth at the moment and we need those players to get up to speed and help us.”