Tom Eastman admits his contract talks to stay at Colchester United went on longer than he had initially expected.

But the long-serving defender says he was happy to commit his future to the U’s, after signing a one-year deal to stay at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Eastman last week agreed new terms to remain at Colchester for a further 12 months, having seen his previous contract expire at the end of last season.

The 24-year-old is now focusing on trying to be fit for the new League Two campaign, as he recovers from the foot operation he underwent last May.

And the Colchester-born centre-back says there is plenty to be positive about, as the U’s aim for a successful season under new boss John McGreal.

Eastman told the Daily Gazette: “It’s been quite a long summer and it perhaps dragged on a wee bit longer than I expected but it’s nice that it’s all done now.

“I was here at the start of the season anyway, so it was just a case of sorting a few things out on the contract.

“My contract was up and being the age of 24, I did have a look around and look at my options but I’m happy to be at Colchester.

“It was disappointing to be relegated last season but with the new faces coming in, along with the new manager and the new staff, we’ve got lots of positives to look forward to.

“The players who have come in will really add to the squad and strengthen the team.

“If they can help us get a few victories early on especially that would be great and hopefully we can carry that on throughout the whole season.”

Eastman is expected to play his first minutes tonight for the U's under-21 side in their friendly against Heybridge Swifts at Scraley Road following surgery on a foot injury sustained in Colchester’s penultimate game of last season at Barnsley.

“I had an operation a couple of weeks after the end of the season and it all seems to be going well so far,” added former Ipswich Town youngster Eastman.

“I’ve had six or seven weeks of not doing a lot to be honest, staying off the foot.

“But now I’ve started to build it up; I’ve been doing lots of running and I’m kicking a football, so I’m going in the right direction.

“There are quite a lot of pre-season games available, so I’d obviously like to get minutes under my belt before the start of the season and be fit and ready for that.

“If things keep going as well as they have been, then touch wood I should be in and around it for the first game of the season.”