Kaspars Gorkss has signed a new short-term deal with Colchester United.

Gorkss’ original contract expired after last Friday night’s 3-1 defeat at Cardiff City, and it was feared that the 33-year-old Latvian international would be on his way to a new club this week.

However, the U’s have managed to tie up Gorkss on a temporary package, with the hope that he might extend his stay until the end of the season.

So the ex-Blackpool, QPR and Reading centre-half will team up with Tom Eastman again, in the heart of defence, for this afternoon’s short trip to Peterborough United.

“Kaspars has agreed to sign a short-term contract,” confirmed manager Tony Humes.

“Hopefully that will keep him with us, certainly over the next few weeks, obviously depending on what happens in the (transfer) window.

“Kaspars is still looking at what his options might be, but he is committed to a short-term contract, which could turn into a contract with us until the end of the season, or beyond.

“He’s certainly with us for this Saturday’s game at Peterborough.

“It’s almost a game-by-game deal, a short-term contract, so we have enabled him to keep his options open.

“We have made our position clear. We want Kaspars here, he enjoys it here, and I think he is just having a bit of thinking time to see where he goes,” added Humes.

Gorkss has so far made six appearances for the U’s, since he was persuaded to return to England from his native Latvia by U’s boss Humes, to answer a defensive distress call.

With club skipper Magnus Okuonghae sidelined for the rest of the season, with a ruptured Achilles, and fellow centre-half Frankie Kent out until late February with a knee injury, Humes had been left with just one fit, recognised senior centre-half on the books, in the shape of Eastman.

Gorkss had not played any club football this season, before his move to the U’s, although he had made four appearances for Latvia in European Championship qualifiers, against Kazakhstan, Iceland, Turkey and Holland.

“It’s good for us, with all the injuries that we have had to our centre-halves,” continued Humes.

“If Kaspars had gone, we would not quite have been at panic stations, but we would still be seeing who we could get in to replace him.

“Hopefully, for our sake, we can extend it until the end of the season.

“We’ve got players in mind, that we are enquiring about, to bring in as-well-as. There are certain things that might happen, this week, or next week.

“We have identified potential targets,” added Humes.

Meanwhile, the U’s will again be without midfielder Alex Gilbey, for today’s trip to Peterborough. Left-back Ben Gordon is rated as 50:50, having missed the FA Cup tie at Cardiff with a twisted ankle.

Humes confirmed: “Alex (Gilbey) won’t be available this weekend. He tried to train this (Thursday) morning, but it wasn’t quite right so we didn’t risk him.

“Hopefully, Alex should be in with a good chance for next Saturday’s game against Wallsall. As for Ben Gordon, it’s a case of wait-and-see.”