Carlisle United set to make two Premier League loan signings

Manager Paul Simpson says the Blues are poised to bring in two loan players from Premier League clubs.

The suggestion is that one of the players is a striker with the other a goalkeeper.

The former will add further competition to United’s attack, with the other a goalkeeping rival to No1 Tomas Holy at a time the Blues have released trialist Dan Langley.

The double deal will reinforce the Carlisle squad in their final week of preparation for the start of the League One season.

“If everything goes to plan, there will be two more coming in on Monday,” said Simpson.

“The deals are agreed and it’s now a case of just getting them in the building, medicals done and I fully expect them to be training with us on Monday morning.

“They’re two loan players and I think they’re two really talented players. I’m sure they’ll add to the group and also they might just give everybody a lift when they see some new faces come in, especially with the calibre they both are.”

Simpson confirmed to the News & Star that the players were from top-flight clubs.

He added: “It's taken a bit of time. We've had to be patient with it because these lads have been away with their own teams on pre-season tours so they're coming in fit, they've both had match minutes.

“I'm really pleased that we're that we're able to do it.”

Simpson was speaking after United’s 2-0 home defeat to Dundee United highlighted the need for extra pace and attacking threat.

New striker signing Sean Maguire - United's eighth summer recruit - watched the game from the stand and he will join his new team-mates in training on Monday.

On the need for extra attacking attributes in his squad, Simpson said: “That’s what we're hoping for.

“We've lost a good few forward players from last year with Kristian Dennis leaving, with Omari Patrick choosing to leave, with JK Gordon going back.

“We lost some players who had that difference, that spark about them, particularly JK and Denno. And we've got to try and add to that now.

“We’ve got three in there [attack] at the moment before today, we've got Sean come in as the fourth, one more on Monday and then we'll see whether or not we do another one as well because I think we've got to have players in who can actually score goals.

“We need to get goals into our team, and hopefully these new faces will.”

Simpson also agreed that extra pace was needed and said: “I think it's really important to have a bit of a bit of legs about you.

“I want good players, players who can affect games and hopefully these ones will.”

A goalkeeper is a priority for Carlisle after ex-Newcastle United man Langley, who has been with the Blues throughout pre-season, was let go.

Dan Langley (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“He’s left us now. He’s had a good few weeks with us and it’s been good to have him around,” said Simpson.

“I just didn’t feel as though he was going to push Tomas enough. I’m looking to have a goalkeeper in here who can be a number one, and I just didn’t feel Dan was at that stage at the moment.

“He’s been a good personality to have around, he’s done everything right in training, but I just feel as though we need the next stage of a goalkeeper. We need somebody who can really threaten to be a number one.

“If I could have afforded to have another one, [as well as] Dan and Gabe [Breeze], I probably would have done that, but I didn't want to go and do that at this stage because I need to prioritise the finances in other areas of the pitch.”