Carlisle United's controversial overseas "billionaire" investor saga is set to continue - with the club understood to be seeking face-to-face talks with the mystery individual this month.

The Blues yesterday insisted the situation was still "live" amid signs of "substantive progress" after they wrote to the would-be investor's agent in an attempt to resolve the matter.

And the Brunton Park hierarchy have said that "new steps" have been set out for the next stage of discussions later this month.

United would not clarify what those steps are, declining to comment beyond the statement they issued last night and comments made by chief executive Nigel Clibbens to a business club meeting, on the 450th day since the initial approach was announced.

But it is believed the Blues regard the next stage to involve the potential investor making a long-awaited visit to the UK to meet the club's owners before the end of August - having failed to do so ever since the episode started in May last year.

The situation has been deeply divisive among supporters, with many both sceptical about the existence of the "billionaire" and critical of United's handling of the matter over the last 15 months.

Previous apparent attempts to secure a face-to-face meeting have failed, with Carlisle stating they wanted such a discussion as long ago as June 3 last year.

According to United's owners, they have been restricted to conference calls with the foreign individual since then.

The Blues have, though, insisted that their latest efforts, prompted by the arrival of Clibbens in the summer, represent an attempt to bring the matter to a head.

The Carlisle United Official Supporters' Club, whose interim representative Jim Mitchell has, among other club directors, been involved in discussions over United's approach, have also tentatively supported the latest moves.

But the fans' group, who have a 25.4 per cent stake in United's holding company, also say further details should be shared with supporters as soon as possible.

In a statement, CUOSC said: "We feel that, on the basis of the response to the club's letter, it is worth seeking to build on that progress over the next couple of weeks or so.

"Obviously however, the sooner more concrete information can be given to fans and the wider community the better."

At a fans' forum last week United said the "billionaire" had been given until tomorrow to respond to their letter, sent to his agent, which represented a "final throw of the dice".

The Blues said a "clear plan for progress" needed to be established, with chairman Andrew Jenkins promising to name the mystery party if discussions eventually collapse.

In the club's statement yesterday, Clibbens said: “Since our last update at the forum, we have written to the potential investor from overseas regarding further practical next steps we required and timing to move the process forward.

“Things have since progressed in a substantive way and the steps forward we wanted and needed to see made have taken place.

“Accordingly all club directors, including the director representing CUOSC, have been updated and we all agreed that - in the light of this new and welcome progress - we should continue our discussions and do so on the same confidential basis as before.

"We felt it was important to provide an update to supporters, as we said we would, and we will do so again after we progress matters going on from here."

United face Plymouth tomorrow in their first home league game of the season.