Carlisle United should push for repeat of 2019 Aston Villa deal: View | OneFootball

The Blues need more of a creative outlet in midfield ahead of the 2024-25 season

Paul Simpson has outlined which areas of the Carlisle United squad he is looking to address after his fifth summer addition.

Up front and one position in defence, likely to be right-back because of the vacant number two squad number; that's what the manager's transfer mind is currently focused on.

The deals that his side have done so far have mainly been on the defensive front, with 80% of the signings made being of a goal-stopping nature, at least positionally.

Simpson has admitted that they have encountered struggles with signing forwards, and added that even Carlisle's much improved financial position hasn't brought them any luck so far in the window, with players opting against good offers from the club to go to teams whose geography is more preferable.

The one attack-minded deal that United have made is bringing in Ethan Robson. What Simpson has said about him suggests that he sees him as someone who's main job is going to be producing when going forward.

Looking purely at stats, he doesn't seem to fit the bill of a traditional attacking midfielder, but his left-footed nature should help Carlisle solve an issue that they have had for a while.

Carlisle have had players in that attacking midfield role that dazzled in the past. One from just over five years ago, that saw Aston Villa's Callum O'Hare join on loan, should give the club inspiration for the type of player that they should be looking for.

Callum O'Hare's time at Carlisle United

The now Coventry City only played half-a-season of his career at Brunton Park, but he made a very good impression during his time there.

In 16 league appearances, a babyfaced 20-year-old O'Hare recorded six goals and assists in what was the first loan spell of his career.

He was constantly looking to get on the ball and make things happen from the middle of the pitch. But, rather than being a conductor that sat at the base of a midfield and directed traffic, he was in the thick of things, pulling the strings.

O'Hare impressed so much during his days in Cumbria that the next season he joined Coventry City on loan, who helped them to win League One.

They ended up buying him, and years later he was part of the Sky Blues team that was a matter of centimetres away from beating Manchester United to reach the FA Cup final.

Carlisle need another player like O'Hare for their 2024-25 League Two campaign

Even though it's not an area that Simpson said will be addressed, they don't have a player who can operate in the pockets between the opposition's midfield and defence, and see things before they happen.

Robson may prove to be that type of player, but even if he's someone that Simpson wants to be the creative spark plug, he'll more likely lurk in front of the opposition's midfield than behind it.

Carlisle have players like Callum Guy who can make those line-splitting passes into those pockets of spaces, but there's not an obvious option on the current roster for someone who can effectively receive those passes on the half-turn and cause problems.