Carlisle United expect Omari Patrick and Morgan Feeney to leave

And the Blues manager says he is also planning for life without captain Morgan Feeney.

Simpson gave an update at a fans’ forum on the situation with both players who have been offered new deals by the Blues.

It came on a day United confirmed Jack Robinson and Alfie McCalmont as their first summer signings, with both Patrick and Feeney now unlikely to join them in the squad for 2023/24.

The manager said both had been tabled generous terms to remain at Brunton Park but it now appears neither will be signing up again for United in League One.

On Patrick, whose equaliser in last month’s play-off final against Stockport County was crucial to United’s promotion, Simpson said: “He’s told me he wants to move on. I have to respect that.

“We made him a very good offer, a two-year contract, he’s chosen to go.

Omari Patrick celebrates his goal at Wembley (Image: Richard Parkes)

“He’s talking about not [being] happy playing as a forward, as a striker. He wanted me to guarantee I would play him as a winger, and I can’t – I can’t guarantee that I’ll play with wingers.”

Simpson went on to say he would not guarantee a fixed position in this way for any attacking player, as he likes to be flexible with his system in terms of midfielder and forwards.

“I won’t guarantee and he wanted me to,” added United’s manager. “I did ask him, ‘Do you have a club that’s going to guarantee you play as a winger?’, and he said no. But he wants to go, so that’s that.”

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Simpson also said he had still not received a definitive answer from defender Feeney – and is assuming the ex-Sunderland and Everton man won’t be coming back.

The 24-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs in Scotland.

“He’s told me he believes there’s interest from other teams that he wanted to explore,” said Simpson.

“We’ve been talking to Morgan since last summer. We had a year’s option on Morgs in his contract. He was asking for too much that I was prepared to pay last year as a League Two side.

“He then said he wanted to explore and see if he could get options in League One – which again I respect.

Morgan Feeney celebrates promotion at Wembley (Image: Richard Parkes)

“We then gave him an option of League One with a really, really generous contract offer. He’s decided to see what else there is.

“I gave him a deadline of seven days, then I gave him another few more days and went back to him and he still didn’t have an offer. I then went away on holiday and came back, so we’re talking probably another ten days after that, and he still didn’t have an offer.

“As far as I’m aware he still hasn’t signed anywhere. I was going to say, ‘from what I’m hearing…’, but the fact I’m not hearing anything tells me he doesn’t want to come back.

“We’ve got other things that we’ve got going on in terms of central defenders. I’m exploring those and hopefully we’ll get one and possibly two of those over the line.”