Carlisle United are keen on a January loan deal for Cardiff frontman Rhys Healey - according to Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock.

The Championship club's manager claims Keith Curle - who worked with Warnock at Crystal Palace and QPR - has enquired about the 22-year-old.

Healey is currently on loan at League Two's bottom side Newport and scored against the Blues in the Exiles' 2-0 win last month.

He has been attracting further interest from clubs in Leagues One and Two with United's promotion rivals Plymouth said to be among them.

His half-season loan at Rodney Parade is up next month and Graham Westley's chances of keeping the striker may be remote after Warnock blasted the Newport boss in his press conference this morning.

Warnock was angered at Westley's apparent decision to make Healey answer media questions on his future after reports emerged of Plymouth's interest.

Newport are set to face Argyle in a high-stakes FA Cup replay for the right to face Liverpool, and Healey admitted Plymouth had been in touch with his representatives.

Warnock said: "I'd told Newport many weeks ago we have to do what's right for the lad.

"We have to weigh up the pros and cons of whether we want him playing at a team at that end of the table or another challenge, either in another division - because a number of League One clubs have asked - or whether we want him to go to the other end of the League Two table, like Carlisle, where Keith Curle has asked me, or Plymouth."

On his annoyance at his Newport counterpart, meanwhile, Warnock said: "I disagree totally with what's happened and I'm very, very annoyed with Graham [Westley] at the moment.

"To ask a young lad to face the media and talk about Plymouth is totally out of order and I'll be speaking to Rhys on Sunday.

"I don't think he should have been placed in front of the media with the first question asking him whether he was going to Plymouth."

Warnock admitted the issue may weaken Newport's own chances of extending Healey's loan.

"Last time I spoke to Graham, if I thought it was beneficial to let him stay I would have let him stay.

"But the current situation is not helping. I believe you should talk manager to manager about things, not through the papers."

It has been suggested Healey - Newport's six-goal leading scorer - could be left out of their game at Morecambe tomorrow.

United have so far been unavailable for comment.