Former Colchester United loanee defender, Cole Kpekawa, could be on his way back to the Essex club, this time on a permanent deal.
Specialist left-back Kpekawa played six games on loan for the U’s during their League One campaign of 2014-15. He stayed for two months, on loan from QPR.
The 21-year-old ended up signing for Barnsley last summer, on a three-year contract from QPR, but only made seven appearances for the Tykes, all of them during the first two months of the season.
Kpekawa’s last game for Barnsley, managed by Paul Heckingbottom, came in October (late substitute in a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle), and the Yorkshire club are now prepared to offload the young defender following the arrival of Zeki Fryers from Crystal Palace.
It is believed that a number of clubs have been tracking Kpekawa, but the U’s appear to have acted quickly to secure a deal to bolster their defensive ranks.
The U’s regular left wing-back from last season, Brennan Dickenson, is not likely to return to action until after the turn of the year due to a knee injury, so there is an opening for a player of Kpekawa’s left-sided strengths.
Meanwhile the U’s secured their third win from three pre-season starts, with a 1-0 success away at Welsh club Llandudno last Friday night. Denny Johnstone netted the winner with a header.
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