Carlisle United boss on 'incredible' transfer offers

And the Blues manager, who has faced frustration with some targets this week, is adamant that he wants to spend every penny of his budget.

Simpson says a number of targets have been removed from the agenda by their respective clubs in recent days.

He is still trying to add to his squad, with midfield a priority area.

And while he is recently on record as saying he wants to manage United’s finances carefully, that does not mean he has been holding back with offers to players.

“To be honest with you, we have made really big offers for players since the takeover by the Piataks,” Simpson said.

“We've made offers which would probably break the club record, and they haven't happened for different reasons.

Paul Simpson says the Blues have offered 'incredible' deals by United's standards since the Piatak takeover (Image: Richard Parkes)

“We've offered incredible contracts to players because of the backing that we've got now – incredible contracts for what Carlisle United can do, not what Championship or top end League One [clubs] can do – but the budget that we've got is a really, really good budget and I'm trying to spend it, I can assure you.

“I do not want to save money for the football club, I want to spend what we've got because, over the seasons, it shows that if you get a good budget and you spend it right it can normally lead to success, and that's what we all want.”

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Carlisle have made nine additions so far this summer and Simpson wants another couple of new faces before the transfer deadline later this month.

Whether he can do so in the build-up to this weekend’s clash with Barrow is in the balance, after missing out on certain targets – but other options are being looked at.

“It's been frustrating in terms of having players who we identified, and four of them were either involved with their first team at the weekend or played on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup games.

“Their clubs have now decided they're not prepared to let them go out because they've done well in those games.

“So we've had that disappointment of losing out on those players, which can happen, but we've still got other players who we are keen on and we're trying to do something as soon as we possibly can.”

Asked if United were working on a particular top target at the moment, Simpson said: “I think it's broader than that – there's a couple that we're probably further down [the line with] than others.

“But it can change. We thought we had a real chance with a couple of players and then they've done really well for their first team and they've decided to keep them around.”

Simpson said the creative midfield department has long been a priority but it has proved a difficult position on the recruitment front.

“I honestly don't know the answer to [why that is] but it has been difficult,” he said.

“There's been all sorts of things – there's been the fact that clubs didn't want to let them go, lads have picked up injuries through pre-season or lads have not wanted to come here, so there's a whole host of reasons for it.

“But we'll keep working until we get the right one and hopefully that will happen soon.”

Simpson said the loan market currently seemed the more likely avenue for the Blues, “but if the right one came up as a permanent we'd look at it.”

He also said United must be prepared to go right up to the end of the window if needed, in order to bring in the necessary reinforcements.

“There's probably every chance [of it going to the deadline] if I'm honest with you because it's not easy – there are still situations where clubs are still saying, ‘We're not sure what we want to do yet,’ whether they are going to let players out,” Simpson said.

Simpson says United may have to be prepared to go to the deadline to get the reinforcements they need (Image: Ben Holmes)

“It's a case of making sure we have other options, different options to what we've got, and then if we have to wait until the end of the window we will – but in the ideal world I want them before that.

“I'm looking at people like Jack Robinson…we've still got at least half a dozen games before he's going to be fit, probably the same for Cameron Harper, Dylan McGeouch, even longer for Ethan Robson and Callum Guy.

“I don't even know how many games we've got to get through [before they can all return], so there's a huge chunk of the season that's got to be played before we get these players fit.

“So we need to get some other faces in to help us.”

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Simpson added that geography remained a hurdle in trying to tempt players to Carlisle in spite of the extra resources available since the Piatak takeover.

“We’ve lost a number of players this summer because of the geography of it – but we can't change it and there's no point in losing sleep over it,” the manager added.

“It's not going to change and if they don't want to come because it's Carlisle United or because it's in Carlisle then they're not the right players for us.

“We've just got to try and persuade them that this is the right place, and all the ones that have come so far have been really impressed with what we're trying to do as a football club, really impressed with some of the other signings we've made – and now we've got to make it count.”