Carlisle United have extended the deals of four members of Chris Beech's squad.

The Blues have activated options in the contracts of defender Jack Armer and midfielders Joe Riley, Taylor Charters and Josh Dixon.

It will keep the quartet at Brunton Park for next season.

And it is set to be followed by more contract news at United.

Director of football David Holdsworth, speaking on the club website, said: “Work is ongoing in the background all the time as we concentrate on the important games we still have to play, but also with one eye constantly on what we want to do going beyond this season.

“It’s good to get this done. It’s good business for the club to get these four young players added to those already retained for next season.

“There’ll obviously be more news on some of our other players in the coming days and weeks.”

The deals secure the immediate futures of some promising players in the United ranks.

Defender Armer, 20, has impressed in recent weeks as he has held down a regular first-team place at left-back.

The ex-Preston man has made 24 appearances and recently scored his first professional goal against Barrow.

Riley, meanwhile, has been a mainstay of the Cumbrians' midfield following the 24-year-old's move from Bradford last summer.

The ex-Manchester United man has put last season's knee injury nightmare behind him by making 43 appearances for Beech's side, scoring two goals.

Home-grown Cumbrians Charters and Dixon, meanwhile, have been given extended time to press their first-team claims.

Maryport midfield prospect Charters, 19, has been a regular part of the squad this campaign and made 11 appearances including two starts, one of which brought a man-of-the-match display at Walsall on January 2.

Carlisle-born midfielder Dixon, meanwhile, has been on the fringe of the first-team reckoning after fighting back from successive cruciate knee ligament injuries.

The ball-playing Dixon, 20, made his debut last November in the EFL Trophy against Aston Villa's Under-21s, going on to make two further outings from the bench in the FA Cup against Doncaster and the league against Stevenage.

United have a number of other players whose deals are up this summer but the Blues are thought to be keen to keep the core of Beech's squad together.

The announcement comes as Carlisle sit 11th in League Two, five points below the play-off places with four games to go.