Forest Green boss Mark Cooper has played down the prospect of another move for back-in-favour Carlisle United defender Mark Ellis.

The League Two new boys remain admirers of the Blues centre-half, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the New Lawn.

But Ellis, who has started Carlisle's last two games and helped Keith Curle's side to successive victories, seems unlikely to return to the Gloucestershire outfit in the near future.

Cooper suggested the fact Ellis remained under contract at Carlisle until the end of this season meant Forest Green could not afford to do a further deal.

Speaking to the Stroud News & Journal, Cooper said: "Mark did really well [for us last season]. He got better the closer we got to the play-offs. He was a real stalwart.

"But he's under contract at Carlisle. He's got a year left so there's money involved with that one - so that's not something we can do at the moment."

The National League play-off winners are in the market for a defender as loan signing Alex Iacovitti is injured.

Ellis has figured in United's three games so far this term, coming off the bench against Swindon and then starting against Fleetwood and Cambridge.

The former Crewe and Shrewsbury man has formed a solid-looking partnership with summer signing Tom Parkes in United's Carabao Cup win at Fleetwood and Saturday's triumph at the Cambs Glass Stadium.

The Fleetwood game saw 28-year-old Ellis start for United for the first time since January.