Colchester boss Aidy Boothroyd has refused to comment on Roy Keane’s decision to recall striker Kevin Lisbie from his season-long loan in January. Lisbie wants to remain with the U’s but Keane says other clubs are interested in signing him on a permanent basis.
Boothroyd said: "I have opinions on the subject but if I get involved in any tittle-tattle I wouldn't be representing the union if I said what I thought, so I won't.
"At the end of the day, Kevin Lisbie is Ipswich's player and whatever they decide to do, they will do.
"If you asked Kevin, he would tell you that he likes it at Colchester. He's part of something that we think is going to be very special that we're building.”
Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling says his club would struggle to compete if there were to be a bidding war in January: "We like Kevin Lisbie a lot at this club and it's no surprise to me that he's raised interest.
"We'll have to talk to Ipswich and see what we can do to keep him, but he's definitely a Championship-quality player and it will obviously be difficult for us to compete if there is a bidding war.
"We tried very hard to keep him before, so we'll just have to see how it unfolds."
Lisbie, who cost Town £750,000 when he moved from Colchester in the summer of 2008, is contracted to the Blues until 2011.