Carlisle United have transfer bid for striker rejected

The manager says United are likely to move on to different targets with little prospect of a deal now happening.

Carlisle, having brought in Fulham’s Terry Ablade on loan, lodged an offer for another forward yesterday.

Simpson said today: “A bid was made yesterday but it was turned down.

“We’re basically being told that they’ve got no interest in doing a deal at the moment.

“We’ll continue having the talks about it, but I just don’t think they’re going to budge on it.”

Simpson is still hoping to bring in a target man to add further variety and goal threat to his League One side.

“Clubs are reluctant to let anybody go at the moment, which is understandable – there’s such a shortage of a particular type of player [that] when you’ve got one you don’t want to let them go,” he said.

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“We also made an enquiry about a loan signing for the season but we’ve been blown out of the water with permanent offers that the guy’s received, so that’s not going to happen either.

“We’re keeping looking. We’re going to try to add to the group.”

Simpson, meanwhile, has dismissed speculation linking a couple of striker names with the Blues.

Arsenal’s Tyreece John-Jules is one name that has been linked with the Blues online, while some fans have urged United to bid for Harrogate Town’s in-demand Luke Armstrong.

Neither scenario is likely, Simpson said.

On John-Jules, the Blues boss said: “We haven’t spoken about that one at all. I do know Tyreece and have worked with him [in the England youth set-up] but that hasn’t been talked about.”

Simpson has dismissed speculation around Tyreece John-Jules, left, and Luke Armstrong, right (Image: PA)

On Armstrong, who ruled himself out of League Two club Harrogate’s first two games of the season as transfer bids came in, Simpson said: “We’ve been told that’s way out of our budget.

“I’m led to believe they’re talking close to half a million for him, and salary wise it’s way above.

“We like Luke Armstrong. I don’t think you’d need to be a genius to say that Luke Armstrong would be a good signing for Carlisle. But he’s way out of our budget.”

Simpson has until the September 1 transfer deadline to do any further business.

On the hunt for a target man, he said: “That’s one of the areas we are looking at. That’s where you do have to pay money for that type of position.

“My thinking is we’ve got the small, quick players with Terry coming in, with Sean [Maguire] and Butts [Dan Butterworth]. Luke [Plange] is that quick player who’ll run in behind, not so much a target man.

“In terms of the two bigger ones we’ve got Ryan [Edmondson] and Joe Garner.

“I’m trying to predict that we are going to get injuries at some point, and red cards, because that’s the way officials are doing games at the moment. I want to make sure we’ve got different options.

“For the bulk of the time it will mean some players are not involved, but I need to be covered for as many opportunities we can to give ourselves the best chance.”

Simpson has not ruled out the prospect of players leaving United before the deadline, even though that is not a situation he is currently pushing for.

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“There may be situations that haven’t happened yet – nobody’s been in for any of ours, but there may be a situation that somebody comes in to take one of ours and if we feel we can afford to let them go in terms of feeling we’re strong enough in that area, we will consider that,” he said.

“That might open up something else. I’m not expecting to do loads of business before the window closes but if something does come about we’ll consider it.

“Nobody has been to tell me they want to leave, in terms of our own players. If that does happen, that may change my way of thinking.

“The last thing I want to do is keep players who are not happy, and everybody wants to play. If that conversation was to go on then I would consider it.

“But only if it’s right for us. I’m not prepared to let players go who I believe are right for us.

“Once that window closes next week, if they’re still at the club they need to get their head down, knuckle down and do what’s best for Carlisle United, and by doing that it’ll be doing what’s best for them and we’ll all benefit.”

Simpson, meanwhile, says things have still not progressed in contract talks witn star midfielder Owen Moxon.

Carlisle have tabled improved terms to the Denton Holme favourite, who was the subject of a failed bid from Blackpool last month.

"We are still talking to him, we’re just trying to see if we can get some sort of agreement put in place, but there’s nothing to report at the moment and there hasn’t been anything coming in for Owen either," Simpson said today.