COLCHESTER United’s recently crowned Player of the Year David Perkins has confirmed he is set to leave the club on a Bosman free transfer after rejecting chairman Robbie Cowling’s final take-it-or-leave-it contract offer.

COLCHESTER United’s recently crowned Player of the Year David Perkins has confirmed he is set to leave the club on a Bosman free transfer after rejecting chairman Robbie Cowling’s final take-it-or-leave-it contract offer.

The 28-year-old midfielder, who swept the board at the League One club’s end-of-season awards, exclusively told the EADT: “I’ve turned the deal down. It’s not completely dead in the water, they could still come back to me, but to be honest it’s looking increasingly unlikely that I’ll be at Colchester next season.”

Reports emerged from Yorkshire yesterday that newly-appointed Barnsley manager Keith Hill had made an approach for Perkins, a player he had at former club Rochdale for the best part of two years between 2007 and 2008.

“I’ve had a bit of interest from various clubs but no contact regarding Barnsley yet,” said Lancashire-born Perkins, who started his career at home county club Morecambe.

“We’ll have to wait and see on that one. Of course that move would definitely interest me because they are a big club and I know the manager.

“I’ve never played in the Championship, I’d love to test myself at that level and, with me not getting any younger, this could be my last chance to get that opportunity.

“I’m from Lancashire and it would nice to find a club nearer there, but at the end of the day football is a short career and I’ll go to the club which is best suited to me. I could yet end up even further south than Colchester.”

Perkins has had a rollercoaster three seasons in Essex since Geraint Williams brought him to the club for a six figure from Rochdale in July 2008. A regular under Williams and his replacement Paul Lambert, he fell completely out of favour under new boss Aidy Boothroyd the following campaign and put in a transfer request after being loaned out to League Two clubs Chesterfield and Stockport.

That request was withdrawn when John Ward took over from Boothroyd last summer and Perkins has enjoyed a superb campaign, with his consistently energetic displays in midfield helping the U’s to a 10th place finish.

He added: “Colchester are now making financial cut-backs and I have no problem with the chairman doing that – I can understand why.

“I’d just like to thank everyone at the club, including John Ward and the supporters, for making it such an enjoyable season. The move is not all about money and I hope people understand that.”

Meanwhile, Ian Henderson – the U’s leading league goalscorer last season – could also follow Perkins out of the club on a Bosman free. The 26-year-old, currently away on holiday, is still to sign the new contract offer on the table with chairman Cowling having set an end-of-the-week deadline before the search for replacements begins.