DANNY Cowley says Colchester United are still talking to Noah Chilvers in a bid to try and find a good solution for all parties.

And the U’s head coach insists he would like to keep him at the club where he has spent his entire professional career.

Chilvers was absent from the Colchester squad that played their first pre-season friendly at Pitching In Isthmian League division north side Maldon and Tiptree on Saturday.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at the U’s this summer and is yet to sign the fresh deal offered to him, at the end of the 2023-24 season.

READ MORE: Danny Cowley on Colchester's friendly win and injury scare

The former Colchester academy player is under the age of 24, so Colchester would require compensation for him, should he decide to move on.

Cowley said: “We’re in regular communication.

“I think these situations are never quite so easy, because he’s out of contract but we have to deal with the compensation rights.

“We’re speaking to Noah on a regular basis, just to try to find a good situation for all parties ultimately.

(Image: PPA UK)

“Noah’s a good kid and he thinks a lot of this football club; he’s been a big part of this football club.

“We’d certainly like to keep him, if that was possible.

“For us, we’re either going to be well enumerated because of the compensation or we’re going to get a really good player back.

“We’re just trying to keep the lines of communication open.

“In an ideal world, we’d like to get it sorted out sooner, rather than later.

READ MORE: Colchester see off Maldon and Tiptree in pre-season friendly

“Noah loves football and I feel really sorry for Noah, in all of this.

“I can see it from both points of view.

“Robbie (Cowling) has invested a huge amount into our academy and in this country, we need to protect the players so that clubs can’t just take them when they’re out of contract because otherwise, owners will never be encouraged to invest in academies.

“I can see it from their point of view; they want to be well enumerated for all of the money that they’ve invested.

“But I can also see it from Noah’s point of view as a young player who when they become out of contract, have the opportunity to move to a higher level and they would like to explore those opportunities.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

“This is just natural and I don’t think it’s anything against Colchester United; it’s Noah as a young, ambitious player wanting to see what opportunities there were.

“If he wasn’t ambitious and he didn’t want to get better and do better, then I don’t think I’d want him, so it’s pretty normal.”

Chilvers came through the Colchester academy, having joined them at the age of eight.

(Image: RICHARD BLAXALL)

He has gone on to make nearly 200 appearances for the U's since making his senior debut for them, back in 2019.

Chilvers, who was vice-captain for Colchester last season, made 51 league and cup appearances for the U's last season, scoring four times.

He netted for the U's in their 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra, on the final day of the League Two campaign.