New striker Dan Adu-Adjei is looking “lively” and ready for the new season with Carlisle United, says Paul Simpson.

The AFC Bournemouth is hoping to make his competitive debut for the Blues in this weekend’s League Two opener at Gillingham.

Adu-Adjei, 19, made an immediate impact with a goal on his first appearance in last weekend’s pre-season victory over Stockport County.

Simpson must now decide whether to hand him a start in the first game of 2024/25 at Priestfield, or keep him among his substitute options.

United’s boss is pleased with how the young Premier League prospect has bedded in at Carlisle after a week with the club.

“He’s settled in really well. I've been really pleased with him,” said Simpson.

“We've got him into an apartment, so he's comfortable with that, and he's settled in with the training.

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“Everybody's looked after him and he looks lively.

“He looks a really good finisher, which you can see when you look at his record through development teams – you can see that that's not coachable, that's a knack that you've got to be able to do that.

Adu-Adjei scored on his first appearance against Stockport and is now targeting his competitive Blues debutAdu-Adjei scored on his first appearance against Stockport and is now targeting his competitive Blues debut (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“He certainly gets into those areas and I'm hoping he adds something different from Georgie [Kelly], Luke [Armstrong], Chas [Charlie Wyke] and Butts [Dan Butterworth] as well.

“I'm hoping that it's just something a little bit different.”

Wyke, the newly-appointed captain, looks a certain starter for United at Priestfield, with Armstrong and Adu-Adjei seemingly the main contenders to start alongside him in attack.

Simpson’s other main conundrum concerns midfield after the loss of Ethan Robson and Dylan McGeouch to injury, and the question mark over Taylor Charters’ fitness for the start of the season.

United’s boss has not ruled out using defenders Ben Barclay or Jon Mellish in a midfield role.

Simpson also hinted at other potential injury concerns in the build-up, while there has been no news yet regarding United's hope of a new signing before the game.