Carlisle United's chances of signing Barrow's Richie Bennett appear to be fading after manager Keith Curle hinted the clubs had different valuations of the striker.

While Curle did not rule out the possibility of a deal, the United boss' comments suggested Carlisle would not meet the National League club's demands.

United's interest in the frontman was recently revealed by Barrow, who said Carlisle had had a bid turned down.

The Blues confirmed they had not made a second offer and the signs are that they will now look elsewhere.

Curle, speaking for the first time about the 26-year-old who scored in Barrow's friendly draw at Boston on Saturday, said conversations on the subject were at chief executive level, with Barrow managing director Andrew Casson also involved in talks.

United's boss said: "Richie was identified as a player we thought would be worthy of an opportunity to step up another league - he has good credentials, goalscoring record and characteristics.

"We felt he could fit into how we want to play and it would also be good for his development.

"All players have a price. Sometimes if [the other club] says their valuation is different to ours, sometimes those parties don’t marry."

Asked on BBC Radio Cumbria whether there was any prospect of the move being revived, Curle said: "You never say never.

"Our job is to identify targets we think can improve us, take those to the board, they give us guidelines financially on where we're at, and then it's a case of do I go and get three players in, or one?"

Barrow have offered Bennett a new contract, while Curle has been running the rule over two striker trialists, both of whom played 45 minutes in Saturday's 3-0 win at Blyth.

The United manager, who has Shaun Miller and Hallam Hope as his current senior forwards, wants to add a taller option to his striker ranks.

Both trialists may fit the bill but Curle has not yet revealed when he will make decisions on them - or on the other three players who again figured at Croft Park, a goalkeeper, left-back and midfielder.

The latter scored for the second successive game.

With the season less than three weeks away, the prospect of a glut of further signings seems to be receding, with Curle also claiming he was likely to use a smaller squad in the new campaign.

But he added: "There are still some good players out there.

"From now to the beginning of the season there will be players at clubs going down the pecking order that we might be seen as an attractive option for them.

"Ideally every manager would like a minimum 22 players available all the time. We will be operating with a smaller squad. My choice is to go for quality over quantity; others go for 35-38 in the building and roll the dice."

United, meanwhile, have yet to comment on the continued absence of Jason Kennedy and John O'Sullivan from recent pre-season action.

O'Sullivan, who watched Saturday's game at Blyth, has yet to feature in any of this summer's games while Kennedy has not figured since scoring in the opening friendly at Carlisle City.