Carlisle United have offered youth team midfielder Kai Nugent a professional contract.

The teenager has been invited to join the professional ranks next season after impressing for the Blues' under-18s.

Nugent, who is currently on loan with Workington Reds, has been offered a one-year senior deal.

The 18-year-old is the only one of United's second-year youth players to be offered pro terms.

Seven others are being released at the end of their scholarships.

They include Nic Bollado, who made his senior debut this season, along with Matt Bell, Lewis Boyd, Harvey Gordon, Mason Hardy, Dan Hill and Alex Potts.

A further second-year youth player, Ryan Carr, left the Blues in January to join Ipswich Town's under-23s.

For Nugent, who has often trained with Paul Simpson's senior squad and played for the first team in pre-season, the news caps a memorable 24 hours.

On Tuesday night he was in the Workington side that defeated Clitheroe 2-0 to reach the NPL West play-off final - they take on Runcorn Linnets at Borough Park this Saturday for promotion.

Nugent has also been on the United first-team bench this season and is regarded as a bright prospect at Brunton Park.

Carlisle's under-18 boss Mark Birch said Nugent had earned his professional offer.

"It’s great for Kai and he deserves it for the work he’s done over the two years,” Birch told United's website.

“He’s bought into everything we’ve done, he’s done it right and done everything that’s been asked of him.

“He embraced going out on loan, he understood the benefit of that, and he’s been down at Workington and done it properly.

News and Star: Nic Bollado, left, who has made four first-team appearances this season, is being releasedNic Bollado, left, who has made four first-team appearances this season, is being released (Image: Ben Holmes)

"Going into next season as a first-year pro is a big, big step and he has to do everything he can to break into the next level."

Birch, meanwhile, wished the seven players who are being released well and said the club would help them with their next step.

“There are different routes to becoming a footballer and what you have to do is show real determination to figure out the best route for you," he said.

“I think Owen Moxon [who was released by United at 16] is a great example of that. He’s shown what can be done if you keep that belief in yourself.

“We’ll help them as much as we can. We have local contacts, so we’ll speak to them if they want us to, and whatever they want to do or whatever career they want to go forward with, we have a duty of care to use the contacts we have to try to help them as much as we can."

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