Colchester manager Aidy Boothroyd says his club can't afford the fee the Blues are asking for striker Kevin Lisbie or match his Championship wages. Town have recalled the frontman at the halfway stage of his season-long loan with the U’s.
Boothroyd says he would love Lisbie to stay but says that may not be possible: "I like him a lot and I would really like to keep him but he is Ipswich Town’s player.
"It’s up to Roy Keane and Ipswich what they do with him. But we’ll monitor the situation.
"I don’t think we can afford the fee they are asking or the wages Championship clubs can afford. But we may be able to come up with something at the end of January.”
That suggests Colchester may look for a further loan deal if the ex-Charlton man hasn't already been sold to another club.
Blues boss Keane has said Town received interest in Lisbie from a number of other interested parties during the striker’s spell at Colchester, which yielded 10 goals.
Lisbie himself wants to stay at Colchester and admits that his refusal to move closer to Town is part of the reason for his lack of involvement since Keane took over as manager: "The gaffer has not lost any hope in signing me and hopefully they can sort something out.
"I’ve not had a call from Ipswich yet and I’ll wait for them to contact me. I can’t see myself playing there. I’ll not move down and that was the reason why I wasn’t playing before.”
Lisbie is contracted to the Blues until June 2011, having signed from Colchester for £750,000 in the summer of 2008.