Gillingham boss Steve Evans has confirmed he held talks with former Ipswich Town captain Luke Chambers before the defender ultimately signed for Colchester United.

Chambers, 35, has joined the U’s on a two-year deal following his departure from Portman Road after nine seasons.

We revealed Gillingham’s interest in Chambers last month, with the skipper meeting Evans on a number of occasions to discuss a deal which would have seen him remain in League One.

“I met Luke Chambers several times, I think he’d have been really good for us,” Evans told the Kent Messenger.

“He chose Colchester for a variance of reasons and the one thing about Luke, we were dead straight with each other all the way down the line.

Ipswich Star: Alan Judge is understood to have been a Gillingham targetAlan Judge is understood to have been a Gillingham target (Image: Steve Waller)

“I was straight about finance, he knew what we put to him [and] there couldn’t be any movement in it.

“He opened himself up to us and to others who could produce better finance and therefore he had different options, not just Colchester.

"And I’m not saying he chose Colchester only for finance, I think geography plays a part as well.”

Evans also confirmed he spoke to another former Ipswich player and ultimately didn’t do a deal, with that player understood to be former Republic of Ireland international Alan Judge.

“We spoke to two players that have been at Ipswich, we didn’t speak to any more than that simply because they wouldn’t have been affordable,” Evans said.

It’s understood Judge is a serious target for Colchester United, where he could link up with Chambers and Cole Skuse, as well as former Ipswich players Dean Gerken, Tommy Smith and Tom Eastman.

The U’s are also understood to be interested in Emyr Huws and Freddie Sears, who could also join the former Ipswich contingent at the Jobserve Community Stadium this summer.