Carlisle United defender Corey Whelan is the subject of League Two interest ahead of Friday's transfer deadline.

The centre-back is being monitored by Colchester United according to reports in Essex.

Whelan has yet to feature in the Blues side so far this season and the U's hope the offer of first-team football could lure him south.

The 25-year-old has been with the Cumbrians for two years and was a dependable member of the squad and team that won promotion last season.

Whelan made 33 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign, including starts in the three play-off games against Bradford City and Stockport County.

The former Liverpool, Yeovil Town and Wigan Athletic man turned down the chance to leave Carlisle in January when Paul Simpson said Whelan was tabled an "incredible" offer from another League Two club.

But with Whelan finding first-team football elusive so far this term – he played for the reserves in Tuesday's defeat at Wigan – he could now face a fresh decision on his Blues future.

Simpson has so far preferred Paul Huntington, Jon Mellish and Sam Lavelle in central defence with summer signing Ben Barclay another option in the position.

Colchester have recently seen two central defenders, Nico Lawrence and Tom Dallison, sidelined through injury and, report The Gazette, could be in the market for reinforcements ahead of Friday’s 11pm deadline.

Carlisle have not commented.

Whelan joined United under Chris Beech in the summer of 2021 and has made 74 appearances, scoring two goals.

The possibility of a departure comes ahead of what Carlisle hope will be a significant last period of the transfer window on an incoming basis.

United are eager to bring in a centre-forward before Friday’s deadline.