Carlisle United HAVE received bids for teenage winger Liam McCarron, the club say.

The Blues have now confirmed that an unnamed Championship club have tabled offers for the home-grown player.

United have not identified the club, or the amounts they have offered.

Leeds are believed to be strongly interested in 18-year-old McCarron, but director of football David Holdsworth said more than one club has expressed an interest.

Holdsworth said: “We have had bids from a Championship club and had conversations with a Premier League club regarding Liam. That is ongoing.”

Reports at the weekend linked Leeds with a £250,000 bid.

The director of football also said he had fielded “a lot of calls” on 16-year-old defender Jarrad Branthwaite.

Holdsworth insisted either home-grown player would only leave United if an appropriate offer was received.

Holdsworth added: “When I came to the club, having spoken to the board and sponsors about what we were trying to build, I said we must recognise our youth department is key to having legs for the club and bringing through young players.

“Liam is someone I recognised we had to make sure we had under contract.

“When we gave him a three-year contract, it was based on the ambition of making sure this club was looked after in terms of compensation, if a big club recognised what the potential of the boy could be.

“If a club does come through the door now, they’ve got to pay the amount we feel in terms of compensation and for the potential [he has] going forward, whether that’s Premier League, Championship and beyond.

“Things are put in place already to make sure we won’t lose out on any deal and it protects our football club.

“Jarrad has a great future – I’ve had a lot of calls on him and he is potentially a very good player.

“Liam has shown, in a short space of time, given we put him on the pitch and recognised his ability, that if he continues he will have a very bright future.

“We would never push anybody out [of the door]. We don’t need x amount of money. It would be nice to get a large, large sum, but my job to is to make sure we’re diligent and don’t give people away.

“The message is clear. There are clubs that want them but they’re gonna have to pay for them. They’re good kids, and they’ve all got agents now, but I’ve been very clear that Carlisle come first.”

McCarron and Branthwaite are, along with the rest of manager Steven Pressley's first-team squad, due to report to Brunton Park today for fitness assessments overseen by strength and conditioning coach David Waldie.

They have been given levels to reach over the summer break.

Holdsworth said that any player who falls short of their targets will be required to do extra training at the club before the start of pre-season training next Thursday.