Southend United are keen to resign defender Taylor Moore ahead of the 2019-20 campaign according to manager Kevin Bond.
The 22-year-old defender was on loan at Roots Hall last season but has since returned to his parent club, Bristol City.
Bond is keen to bring Taylor back for the new season but admitted he will have to wait on the Robins before a deal can be done.
“Taylor would potentially be an option and he did well for us but his club at this moment in time appear to be keen on him to go back there,” Bond told the Southend Echo.
“I think what happens with clubs who are above us is that they like to have all their players back with them for pre-season.
“They want the managers to have a look at them and they want to see if they’ve developed while out on loan, if they have improved and see if they can help them.
“If they think they can work without them then towards the end of the window they will let them go on loan.
“That’s fine but in an ideal world you would like your squad sorted by the first day of pre-season but that’s always difficult, especially with loan players.”
Moore made 40 appearances last season as Southend survived relegation thanks to a dramatic final day victory over Sunderland.
Kevin Bond is hopeful of Moore’s return but is not prepared to rely on the deal and will be busy keeping an eye on other targets.
“If you’re loaning players from higher clubs then quite often you will wait until the last two weeks of the window but it’s difficult because then someone else might get them,” said Bond.
“You can’t just wait and see because if you do then it might not happen and you’re left high and dry so you do have to look elsewhere.”
Bond would also like to bring Sam Hart back to the club but admitted he is in a similar situation, with Blackburn Rovers unlikely to sanction a loan deal until later in the summer window.