Carlisle Utd set to sign striker and waiting on a further frontman as boss claims Blues have "bottom six" budget

A young frontman is poised to join the Blues on loan on the eve of the new League Two season.

The other target is understood to be a player Pressley has been eyeing all summer, but United now need to wait until next week for a decision.

Pressley updated supporters on the transfer situation at a fans’ forum at Brunton Park on Thursday night, during which he also set out his plan to succeed at Carlisle despite what he described as a “bottom six” budget in League Two.

“There'll be another striker arriving tomorrow morning – there is an agreement in place with another club,” Pressley said, revealing the player has been abroad but was now flying back to complete his move to Cumbria.

On the other frontman, United’s boss said: “The final striker is one I've targeted from day one of pre-season and one we'll continue to wait on. I believe he is capable of scoring 20 goals in this league.”

He added that the club concerned need to “finish their own transfer work” before making a decision on allowing the player out. Everyone there would be happy for the player to come to Carlisle, Pressley added.

Premier League and Championship clubs have until Thursday, August 8 to sign players, while the bottom two tiers get until the end of Monday, September 2.

The player, Pressley added, would add something “different” to United’s attacking options, saying the player “runs through more, plays on the edge of offside, waiting to break the back line”.

Today’s expected arrival, meanwhile, will take United’s number of loanees to four, after the additions of Nathan Thomas, Olufela Olomola and Canice Carroll.

United can name five loanees in a matchday squad, Pressley saying the fifth would be another striker, meaning that, as he wants to sign another midfielder, the latter would need to be a permanent deal.

Carlisle are continuing to assess trialist Mo Sagaf in this position. “Mo has made a really good impression on us - we think he's a good player with a lot of development in him, but we still have to make that decision over the next 24-48 hours,” Pressley said.

Another recent trialist, striker Kwame Thomas, was released despite scoring twice in a friendly against Tranmere. Pressley said: “Our feeling on Kwame was we didn’t think his link-up play was strong enough, and we didn’t think he had the mobility we wanted in that position.”

Pressley added it was a decision made by all United’s coaching staff. “With the size of squad [we will have], we can’t make many mistakes,” he added.

On his most recent signing, Brentford loan man Carroll, Pressley said the Ireland Under-21 international would add “a bit more steel and aggression” to United’s midfield.

“He’s 6ft 1in, good in the air, aggressive, tough,” the manager said. “He brings a different dimension to our midfield and allows us to change things when necessary, gives a different balance.”

He also praised the attributes of Scunthorpe loan striker Olomola in an unorthodox way.

“Although he’s not the biggest, he’s got a big bottom,” Pressley said. “He sticks it into defenders to shield the ball.

“He's also a terrific finisher off both feet.”

On Aaron Hayden, the defender signed after a recent trial, Pressley added: “The profile we were looking for in that position was the ability to play right-back and right centre-back.

“He [Hayden] has proved he's capable of doing that. At his last club he played quite often [in both positions]. He's big, athletic, at a very good age, and has experienced non-league and part-time football – he didn't particularly enjoy it and was desperate to get back into full-time football.”

Pressley revealed that, other than the long-term sidelined pair of Kelvin Etuhu and Josh Dixon, Hallam Hope remains the only injury doubt for Saturday’s opener against Crawley due to a hamstring injury. He will be further assessed today.

On the fitness of his squad, he said it was “credit” to strength and conditioning coach David Waldie and his other coaches that United have come through a gruelling pre-season with only one injury doubt for the weekend.

He suggested, though, that not all of his players were in peak condition, naming recent addition Nathan Thomas as one who needed to get up to speed with the rest of the group.

Admitting it was a “frustration” that some players had not completed the full pre-season with United, Pressley said fitness testing was carried out on Tuesday, and Sheffield United forward Thomas “is not up to the levels of fitness required from this group”.

He said Thomas will have to do additional work over the coming weeks to get to those levels for the “intense, high-pressure football” he demands.

Pressley would not be drawn on who Carlisle’s captain would be, having given Adam Collin and Byron Webster the armband for most of United’s friendlies.

He was, though, clearer on the challenges Carlisle face in trying to overcome bigger-spending clubs in the division this year.

Pressley said: “Three years ago the club had a top-five budget. We probably now have a bottom-six budget.

“The top five budget didn't lead to success. The club has demonstrated throwing money at it doesn't necessarily bring the success. We have to work together to bring success.

“Nobody wants it more than us. You come on a Saturday to be excited. It's up to us to try and deliver that. Spending all the money doesn't always deliver that.”

Pressley said he expects clubs who have shown “continuity” in areas of their club to be among the contenders in League Two, citing Mansfield, Swindon, Walsall, Scunthorpe and Bradford.

His assistant manager Gavin Skelton, meanwhile, said “two or three” players were being considered for penalty duties. Both United’s main takers of recent times, Danny Grainger and Jamie Devitt, left the club this summer.

Skelton also said United had been working on some set-piece routines over the last two or three weeks which they had been keeping under wraps for competitive games rather than revealing them in friendlies.

Pressley was also asked about the young players at Brunton Park and explained why teenager Jarrad Branthwaite may feature more at right-back initially than centre-half.

He said: “The first time I saw Jarrad, I phoned David [Holdsworth] five times after the game, because I was so excited. We had him signed two days later on a three-year contract.

“As a centre-back you have to rely on your physicality a lot. Jarrad is still growing into his body. He's like a baby giraffe at this point.

“When I was coming through at Rangers, I played the early part of my career at right-back because I wasn't ready physically for centre-back, but it gave me that experience.

“Jarrad can play there, he's extremely quick and athletic. He has made huge strides. It’s about managing these young players.”

Pressley said his expected squad size of 17 senior outfield players and two goalkeepers would “make every player feel part of it” and also ensure young players received opportunities.

He added: “I don't think this club has embraced its young players enough in recent years.”

Citing his time at Falkirk when he had a young squad, Pressley said: “I have absolutely no fears about playing young players. This club has some terrific young players.

“That doesn't mean they are ready to play a constant role. But I wanted to build a squad of the size I am because I want young players involved, to bring them through.

“It's a big part of the club moving forward. Says the catchment area and history of club points this way.” He said United were “devastated” by Dixon’s latest cruciate knee ligament injury, but cited Josh Galloway and Taylor Charters as two other teenagers with promise.

The forum also saw new first-team coach Nathan Rooney discuss his route to Brunton Park via Fleetwood, Blackburn and Crawley, along with roles in Guinea-Bissau and Gibraltar.

Goalkeeping coach Craig Wight also described how he tailors his working week with United's keepers.