COLCHESTER United boss Aidy Boothroyd wants to complete all transfer business by the end of May.

COLCHESTER United boss Aidy Boothroyd has already drawn up a transfer wish list – and he wants to get on with moulding his squad for next season as soon as possible.

With the U’s now unable to secure a play-off place over their final two games of the season, Boothroyd is already beginning to plan for a promotion assault in what will be his first full season at the club.

And it appears there will be both arrivals and departures at the Weston Homes Community Stadium over the coming weeks as the U’s boss attempts to wrap up all his business sooner rather than later.

“Over the last few days I’ve been making phone calls to players and agents,” confirmed Boothroyd.

“I have a list of players and there are a number of positions I think we can strengthen in.

“You go at your list and, if you can’t get your first choice, you go for the next one.

“Hopefully, by the end of May, we’ll have the players in place that I want, while the guys we don’t want will have their futures sorted out too.”

Since being appointed last September, Boothroyd has made five permanent signings (John-Joe O’Toole, Kayode Odejayi, Ian Henderson, David Prutton and Morten Knudsen), while he has brought in a further three on loan (Danny Batth, Josh Payne and Franck Queudrue).

The U’s boss hasn’t sold any players this season, but has loaned out Pat Baldwin, Scott Vernon, Simon Hackney, Joel Thomas, Medy Elito, Sam Corcoran and Russell Malton at various stages.

Colchester’s official first team squad currently stands at 29 players, but the U’s have at least six players coming to the end of their contracts in the close season.

“I talk to Robbie (Cowling) three to four times a week,” said Boothroyd.

“He’s been very busy with the Norwich (tribunal) thing, but we’ve outlined some meetings for next week where we can sit down and debrief the season.

“I do know it’s not an Aladdin’s cave. Robbie has always been fair to me and supported me, but he’s also got to be sensible.

“I won’t be a kid in a sweet shop. We’re all aware that there are some players here on good money that I don’t want to be here. They are still contracted and we have to find a way forward to find them another club.

“I’ve got some players that I think are really good and I’ve got others that I think would be really good for other people but not for me.

“I would love a squad of 24 players. I’d much rather have quality than quantity – we’ve got too many at the moment.”