Carlisle United manager Keith Curle has insisted the club will not get "caught short" if defenders Tom Miller and Alex McQueen turn down new contracts.

The duo are considering offers from the Blues to extend their time at Brunton Park.

Curle has said he is in no hurry to force Miller and McQueen to give him answers, and expects the defensive pair to interest other clubs.

But the United boss - who made his first summer signings this week - pledged he had other targets if they decide to leave.

"We won't get caught short," Curle said.

"We have got targets in place if either decide to go elsewhere. We've got other players [in mind] who we think can add similar values and different values as well."

Miller and McQueen were informed of United's contract offers last week and had a seven-day period to acknowledge they had received them in writing.

Curle said they were then given a 28-day period, under Football League regulations, to weigh up the terms tabled by the Blues.

"That offer will be their starting point, and they are within their rights to be listening to other offers," Curle said.

"They are players who I think will get other offers. They need to decide whether they want the progression of their career to be here with Carlisle United. If so, excellent - that's why we made them offers. If not we will wish them well."

Curle is chasing further targets having landed Northampton winger Nicky Adams and Morton midfielder Joe McKee this week.

The United boss and his backroom staff have held talks with more potential signings and hope to add more new faces soon.

Curle and his head of recruitment Lee Dykes were delighted to make Adams their first close-season capture, with the 29-year-old having won promotion from League Two in successive seasons with Bury and Northampton respectively, after also helping Rotherham into the Championship in 2014.

Curle said: "If you look at his record, three promotions recently, it means he knows what it takes.

"Sometimes you need that in the changing room. Sometimes when things aren't going your way, you need that experience and character. But when things are going well, you also need the right characters to maintain it and keep it going.

"We've created bits of momentum at times but haven't been able to maintain it, for different reasons. But the players we've got, the foundation we've got and the players retained are made of the right stuff.

"That is something we can continue to grow, with better players and good personalities alongside them. There are lots of areas we can improve on. We need to lose fewer games, turn more draws into wins. If we do that we will continue the upward curve."

Curle has also revealed that his backroom staff of Dykes, assistant boss Colin West and goalkeeping coach Simon Tracey are "very close" to signing new contracts.

The manager has also insisted that the hierarchy at Brunton Park have heeded his call for greater openness.

Owner and director John Nixon will make a rare media appearance on BBC Radio Cumbria next Thursday, with a fans' forum also set to be held in July.

Although the Blues owners have repeatedly refused to answer questions posed by our sister paper, the News & Star, about the "billionaire" investment mystery and other key topics, Curle says his end-of-season call for greater transparency has worked.

"I'm pleased to say the club have listened," he said.

"We were at Notts County the other week, putting on a performance that anybody to do with Carlisle United could not be happier with, and unfortunately you get chants about what's gone on at boardroom level.

"The more people I can get focusing on the pitch, the easier it is to do my job. And the backing I've had from John, Andrew Jenkins and Steve Pattison has been fantastic. No other manager could wish for the relationship I've got - it's clear, concise and transparent."