Workington Reds look set to bring in two young loan players from Carlisle United.

The Reds manager Mark Fell said his club have an "agreement in principle" with the Blues over "a couple" of players.

And Fell said he expects to have two loanees through the door this week.

"We now know that we've got two coming in this week on loan," he said in a club interview.

"It's no secret that we've got an agreement in principle with Carlisle to get a couple of loans out of there."

Reds' targets at United are likely to involve some of the young players they had on loan from the Blues last season.

Sam Hetherington, Jake Allan and Aran Fitzpatrick all enjoyed positive half-season spells at Borough Park in the final months of the 2023/24 campaign.

Jake Allan, centre, also spent time with Reds last seasonJake Allan, centre, also spent time with Reds last season (Image: Ben Holmes)

United, Fell previously said, were likely to revisit the situation after their pre-season training camp.

The Blues are now back at Brunton Park this week having spent Monday to Friday last week at the University of St Andrews.

Hetherington, Allan and Fitzpatrick - plus Josh O'Brien, who has joined Carlisle City on loan - are all on third-year scholarship deals at United.

They have been joined in first-team pre-season action so far by second-year youth player Freddie O'Donoghue, while fellow youth team player Dan Hopper figured in Carlisle's opening friendly at Penrith.

Any immediate decision on the left-sided Fitzpatrick could depend in part on the fitness of Cameron Harper, who was not involved for Carlisle at St Mirren last Friday because of discomfort in his groin.

Hetherington, who has turned in some bright pre-season performances, also sat the game out with manager Paul Simpson saying some "fatigue" in his hamstring was the reason.

Allan and Fitzpatrick both came off the bench in the game in Paisley, with Fitzpatrick hitting the woodwork in the second half for Carlisle.

Workington, meanwhile, earned a creditable 1-1 draw with Morecambe on Saturday after an impressive goal from summer signing Josh Galloway, the former Carlisle, Leeds United and Annan Athletic man.

Fell has added that Workington also expect to bring in a loan player from a National League club.