Hogan A Happy Hammer

West Ham starlet Hogan Ephraim has rejected the chance to return to Colchester United today.

The 19-year-old academy product had met with U`s officials with week to discuss the possibility of joining the club own loan for the second season running. This time, however, the U`s were looking to loan Hogan with a view to taking him to Layer Road on a full-time basis in the summer.

It had been widely reported that the U`s had agreed a clause of £500,000 for the youngster in any prospective deal, although Ephraim today officially rejected the approach after presumably failing to secure adequate personal terms.

Hogan`s attacking prowess won him many admirers in Essex last season, and this rejection will be the second time Colchester`s boss Geraint Williams has been rebuffed in his efforts to prize the player from London.

The Welshman had tried to secure his services at the start of the season, but Hogan chose QPR in preference to a U`s return.

Williams Cu-fc.com, the official Colchester United website: "We were looking to sign Hogan on a loan deal with a view to a permanent basis in January.

As mentioned earlier, we have had talks with Hogan and his representatives, but he has since informed us that he won't be joining us at this moment in time."