Jones Update: No Deal, Say Hibs

Colchester United`s attempts to sign giant defender Rob Jones have been dealt a major blow after Hibernian manager Mixu Paatelainen officially rebuffed them this morning.

He said that the Scottish club have “no intention” of offloading the in-form 29-year-old, after the U`s made a second bid of the current transfer window for the player. It was thought to be more than double, at nearly £200,000, that of the first bid.

A report in the Scottish newspaper the Herald quotes him saying: “The offer from Colchester was more or less the same kind of offer and we feel we want to keep Rob beyond this transfer window.”

It remains to be seen whether Colchester will up the ante and increase their current offer, but that will depend on how serious the club are about prizing the player away from Easter Road.

United are known to be in for several other targets, which they hope to complete before the transfer window closes on Monday night.