Colchester United are revamping their forward options as they prepare for a League Two promotion push in the second half of the season.

The Daily Gazette understands that the U's will bring in at least one new striker in January, with players already making way as a result.

Nicke Kabamba has returned to parent club Portsmouth after Colchester ended his loan spell at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

And Sanmi Odelusi looks set to follow him out of the exit door, after he played on trial for the U's League Two rivals Cheltenham Town in a reserve match against AFC Wimbledon yesterday.

Odelusi is on a short-term deal with Colchester and has been restricted to mainly substitute appearances since joining them on a free transfer, in August.

Colchester are yet to confirm whether or not Brandon Hanlan's loan from Charlton Athletic will be extended next month, while leading scorer Sammie Szmodics is attracting interest from bigger clubs after scoring ten goals for Colchester this season.

Kurtis Guthrie, who is yet to sign the new contract offered to him by Colchester in August, is back training with the first team after his ankle injury but is in need of match time.

Colchester head coach John McGreal said prior to their game at Swindon Town last week that he was due to meet with director of football Tony Humes and chairman Robbie Cowling about their plans for next month's transfer window.

He said: “We have to look at the Swindon game before we start looking at what recruitment we need to do, in January.

“Then we’ll get together with Tony Humes and Robbie Cowling and go through what our thought process is going to be.

“But we have games coming thick and fast and I don’t want to take our mind off the games.”

Colchester are only out of the League Two play-off zone on goal difference, heading into the festive programme.

They host Port Vale on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the U's under-23 side were beaten 7-5 at MK Dons yesterday, in the Central League Cup.