Carlisle United have captured Aston Villa prospect Callum O'Hare on loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has today completed his move to Cumbria.

The Blues had been strongly linked with highly-rated O'Hare since the weekend.

He became their second signing of the day shortly after Peter Grant's arrival was confirmed.

Manager Steven Pressley has been tracking O'Hare for some time and is delighted to have added him to his promotion-chasing Blues squad.

"He’s an attacking midfield player that is considered to be of high potential at Aston Villa," Pressley said today.

"I’ve managed to watch them a number of times myself and he’s always made a great impression on me.

“Although he’s a small player, he’s dynamic, has a real eye for goal and he creates.

“It's really good bit of business for us."

O'Hare will fill an attacking midfield void left by Jack Sowerby's return to parent club Fleetwood.

Pressley added: “When you field a team, one thing as a head coach is that you want to be looking and thinking we’re capable of scoring from a number of positions.

“He [O'Hare] brings that as well. There’s an onus on our team in the way we play that our attacking three can all contribute with goals and our two advanced midfield players can contribute with goals and assists.

“It was very important they fit that profile and he certainly does.

“He was on the bench for Aston Villa at the weekend, which shows how highly he’s thought of there. We really appreciate them trusting us with one of their young players, to develop him correctly.

“Hopefully if we do that right, it’s a relationship we can build with Villa. They are a club that produces good young players."

In terms of attracting O'Hare to Carlisle despite interest from other clubs - Bristol Rovers were among those linked - United's boss added: “I know [Villa boss] Dean Smith, and I spoke to Dean personally on the player. My son’s at Villa as a scholar so maybe that helps! But I also know quite a lot of the staff there.

"I suppose I’ve got history at Coventry and Falkirk of developing young players, so maybe that in itself has helped that.

“I’m just really pleased we’ve got the kid here. He’s an exciting talent.

"First loans are always the most difficult. You find sometimes that the players don’t perform to the level expected in their first loan, it sometimes comes in their second or third, so it’s important we nurture him correctly, and don’t put too much expectation on this young player.

"But if he can fulfil the potential I think he’s capable of I think he’ll be a real good signing for us."