Colchester United boss Danny Cowley on duo's departure

The talented young duo have departed for League One new boys Stockport County for undisclosed fees having both impressed for the U’s, last season.

Fevrier and Mingi had been at Colchester for barely 18 months before shining for their first team and earning a move to a higher-placed team.

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U’s head coach Cowley feels the deals that saw them leave the JobServe Community Stadium were right for all parties.

He said: “It was right for Stockport County, right for us and most importantly, right for the two players as well.

“I think both Jayden and Jay had a real influence in our season, certainly in the time that we were here.

“They did a fantastic job for the team and played a pivotal role in helping us stay in the division.

“They brought a pace and athleticism and power that I think is very attractive to other clubs as well.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“I think it’s good business for Stockport for sure but also good business for us, because I think as a football club, we want to continue to grow.

“Since we’ve come in, Robbie (Cowling) has made it really clear that he has a real ambition for this club to move forward, to continue to improve and continue to grow.

“For us to do that, we understand that we have a model where we have to try to recruit young players, to develop those young players.

“We have to enjoy them in the first team as we’ve done with Jay and Jayden and then we have to sell them on and then use that money to be able to continue the process and continue to grow the club.

“I think we’re doing a really good job of that side of things.”

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Cowley admits he expected Mingi and Fevrier to be in his Colchester starting line-up, for the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

He said: “Jay and Jayden are both boys that probably when the season ended and when we looked at what next season looked like, we’d have expected both of them to be in our starting XI come the beginning of August.

“But I’ve lived football long enough to know that normally, the players that are sought after are the players that you really like and really want and it’s the reason why they are sought after!

“When we looked at it and looked at the finances involved, it was just a good decision for the football club.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

“For us, we love working with young players, particularly when you look at the athletic qualities of Jayden and Jay.

“Jayden has got so much potential; he’s got so much growth in his game.

“He’s a fantastic ball carrier and a brilliant dribbler and I think he’ll add goals to his game, there’s no doubt about that.

“I’ve watched enough of him on the training pitch to see that.

“I think he’s also a really clever boy with a really big learning capacity and that’s why really, a deal has been put together that allows him to go to Stockport, we get financially well remunerated in the short term but also, there’s a big sell on that if he does go on and do what we expect him to, that we’re going to be in a position where the club benefit from that, as well.

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“Jay only had a year left on his contract but still, a player who had his challenges when we first arrived.

“We left Jay when we left Portsmouth and I don’t think when we arrived at Colchester a year later he was the same athlete and didn’t have the same level of fitness and athleticism as probably he had when we left him, for numerous reasons.

“He’d had a really difficult summer, trying to move from Portsmouth and he only joined Colchester late and chased his fitness and then picked up injuries – it was quite stop start for him.

“So, to finish the season as well as he did was great.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“He played a huge role in helping us stay in the division in that final 11 or 12 games, also playing in a new position, which I think really suited him.

“An offer was made that we felt was right for Jay and we felt was right for the football club and for us, it’s always to try to do what’s right for both the player and the club.

“Hopefully, it’ll be good for Jay and it’ll allow us to continue to grow as well.”