Carlisle United boss Keith Curle has revealed the club has received a loan offer for one of his forwards.

Curle, speaking ahead of today’s League Two visit of John Coleman’s Accrington Stanley (Brunton Park, 3pm) didn’t disclose the identity of the player in question, but said that the target of the bid had been made aware of the interest in him.

The emergency loan window opens on Tuesday, with only Football League clubs able to take advantage of it.

During that period, they are able to borrow players from Premier League clubs – something Curle attempted to do with players from Everton and Manchester United on transfer deadline day.

Jabo Ibehre, Charlie Wyke, Derek Asamoah and Steven Rigg are United’s only out-and-out strikers on permanent deals at present.

And Curle said that, while making his opinion on a possible move clear to the player in question, he feels it is right to leave the decision in the target’s hands.

“Another club, through a third party, has enquired about one of our centre forwards to take on loan from now until the end of the season,” he said.

“I spoke to the player and said ‘a club’s come in, they want to take you on loan. In my opinion, it’s not the right move for you and I want you to stay here. But ultimately, if you wanted to speak to them, I wouldn’t stand in your way’.

“I think it’s the right thing to do, especially knowing how the football industry does work, that other representatives probably would have spoken to the player anyway.

“But I’ve got a clear conscience that I do my best for the players that are at the football club and under my charge. If there’s interest, I tell them and then it’s down to them how they want to deal with it.”

Curle also opened the door to potential arrivals during the emergency loan window, saying that “lines of communication” had been opened with the parent clubs of players he is looking to bring in.

“The standards of what we have in the changing room have changed and they are changing.

Meanwhile, United has been fined £3,000 by the Football Association after being hit with a misconduct charge relating to their FA Cup Third Round replay with Yeovil Town on January.

Both sides had been charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion after Antony Sweeney headed in United’s equaliser at Huish Park. A melee broke out after that 77th-minute goal, in which Carlisle’s Ibehre appeared fortunate to have avoided a red card.

The Glovers admitted the charge but United denied it. They have both punished following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing .

Captain Danny Grainger is unlikely to be risked this afternoon as he continues his recovery from an ankle problem and, according to Curle, Luke Joyce may also be sidelined with a groin problem picked up in that Yeovil tie, in which he was sent off. 

Bastien Hery – missing from the side that faced Everton last week because of a hamstring strain – could make a return to the squad.