By Chris Bevan

When Sheffield United's bid was rejected I felt a little low but I have bounced back from that and just got on with the job Greg Halford

Colchester United defender Greg Halford hopes to get his dream move to the Premiership "as soon as possible".

West Ham and Portsmouth are the latest sides to be linked with Halford, 21, while Sheffield United made a bid for him on transfer deadline day in August.

Halford is out of contract this summer and on the transfer list at Layer Road.

He told BBC Sport: "I want to play well for Colchester for as long as it takes but I don't hide the fact that I want to play as high as I can."

A host of scouts have been looking at Halford, who has become accustomed to being linked to bigger clubs.

"I have had to get used to people watching me," he explained. "Over the past couple of years I have let it get to me and my performances have dropped but I don't let that happen any more.

"Sheffield United came in for me at 2pm on transfer deadline day and that has been the only concrete bid to come in.

"When that was rejected I felt a little low but I have bounced back from that and just got on with the job.

"I am not aware of any other approaches since the summer.

"People read newspapers and see me linked with other teams but nothing concrete has come in since Sheffield United."

And the England Under-20 international is adamant that he will not let speculation about his future affect his form for the U's.

"I am not worrying about it at all," he added. "That is the whole reason why I have got an agent who deals with that side of things.

"He doesn't really give me any feedback and I ask him not to - I just want to concentrate on playing as well as I can and I don't want anything to distract me from that.