COLCHESTER United midfielder, Lloyd James, who is currently on loan at League Two promotion candidates Crawley Town, has been offered a new contract by the Essex club.

Welshman James, 24, signed for the U’s from Southampton on a two-year deal in the summer of 2010.

He has played 48 league games for United, and has so far chalked up six appearances for Crawley, whose manager Steve Evans left the Red Devils last week to become Rotherham’s new boss.

U’s boss Ward confirmed, during yesterday’s press conference, ahead of the Sheffield Wednesday game: “I’ve offered Lloyd (James) a contract for next season. I’ve already done that.

“The view of him going to Crawley was to play games, because at that stage I had signed Martin Rowlands.

“And he is happy to stay at Crawley, though with a view to him being at our football club next year.

“The interesting thing is that he’s playing as a right-back at Crawley, which he did at Southampton a number of times.

“So in that respect Lloyd offers Colchester United a variation. But I like him as a midfield player, because he’s creative.

“He’s a young man with a 100-odd games behind him, and I’d like him at this football club next season,” added Ward.

The U’s entertain promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow. Rowlands will miss out because of a pulled hamstring, but Magnus Okuonghae is set to return after missing the 4-1 defeat at Bury on Monday with a thigh injury.