Arsenal loan defender leaves Carlisle United along with teenage midfielder

The Blues have tonight confirmed that the two players have departed the Blues.

Centre-half Dinzeyi has returned to parent club Arsenal midway through a season-long loan deal.

The 22-year-old made just three appearances after joining from the Premier League club on August’s transfer deadline day.

He is expected to seek another loan move.

Youth graduate Leslie, meanwhile, is not being kept on by the Cumbrians after the end of the six-month deal he signed in the summer.

Their departures come as boss Keith Millen begins reshaping his squad, United having earlier today confirmed the signing of Altrincham right-back Joel Senior.

On Dinzeyi, Millen said: “I’ve been speaking to Arsenal quite regularly just to give them updates on where he is, and he was one of the lads that unfortunately went down with Covid [recently].

“I spoke to him because I was concerned about the amount of game time he’s had, both before I got here and since I’ve been here.

“I know Jonathan from when we were at Tottenham together, so I talked to Arsenal and I told them that I wasn’t sure how much game time he was going to get.

“He was obviously here to fight for his place, like everyone is, and he hadn’t had anywhere near enough of it. His contract is running out and he needs to play football from now to the end of the season, for the sake of his own career.

“He’s a London lad, a long way from home, he isn’t playing and that makes it difficult. It’s the right thing to do, he understood that and Arsenal understood as well.

“Jonathan has gone back to London and Arsenal, and I think he’s looking to try and get somewhere else on loan to get some game time.”

Keelan Leslie (photo: Amy Nixon)

Leslie stepped up from United’s academy last summer but the start of his first professional season was held up by injury.

He had a loan spell with Workington Reds and, despite now leaving the Blues, is welcome to continue training with the squad, Millen said.

“I spoke to Keelan before Christmas, just to give him a heads-up, but he knows he’s more than welcome to come back and train every day,” Millen said.

“I’ve got no problems with that, if he wants to come back in and keep fit until he finds himself another club, he knows that offer’s there for him.”

Millen added of the 18-year-old: “He’s been unfortunate because he hasn’t really had a chance around the first team.

“I think it’s important for young players that if their pathway is blocked, you need to think about how they can progress their career.

“I could have easily said he could stay for another six months, but I don’t think it’s right for his career. He needs to go and play football somewhere and get seen.

“I didn’t see him being in and around the first team, and young players need first-team football.

“Hopefully he finds himself a club and goes out there and proves us wrong. Who knows, one day he might come back here and cost us money.”