Carlisle United: Paul Simpson pinpoints six-figure fee club have saved with transfer reveal | OneFootball

The Blues have benefitted from the financial downfalls of another club.

Paul Simpson has revealed that Carlisle United have saved "a couple of hundred thousand" in the deal that brought Cameron Harper to Brunton Park.

Of all the defensive recruiting that Carlisle have done so far in this first window under the Piataks' rule, Harper is the one that hasn't been brought in to help sturdy up the backline.

United's third signing of the summer window saw the left-back join the Cumrbian side from Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The Press & Journal - a Scottish publication - had reported that he would be joining Carlisle a week before it was officially announced. Tranmere Rovers had been previously linked with him by the Daily Record.

Even though Caley Thistle were relegated, the 22-year-old still managed to register nine assists. His set-piece taking was also on full display at Hampden Park when he whipped in a beauty of a free-kick in April.

Simpson praised Harper's abilities in dead-ball situations, and added that: "He’s got a real good quality left foot," as per the News & Star.

The footballing justifications aren't the only thing that will have pleased those at Brunton Park about this signing though. The Blues pulled off a very shrewd move financially by getting him.

Carlisle saved £200,000 in Cameron Harper deal

The 22-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Blues, and cited the ongoing work at the club's stadium as a real point of excitement for him.

In Inverness' announcement about Harper's departure, they said that they had: "agreed an undisclosed transfer agreement," for the 22-year-old to join Carlisle.

It has now been revealed by the Blues' boss that United saved a lot of money because of the ongoing financial troubles at Caley Thistle.

Simpson said, via the News & Star: "He’s a young player who we've managed to take on a free transfer because of the situation with Inverness.

"There are issues going on [there], so we've got him on a free, whereas he could have cost us a couple of hundred thousand at least in compensation."

So far this summer, Carlisle's dealings have just seen free agents come through the door of Brunton Park, with ex-MK Dons midfielder Ethan Robson being the latest addition.

Cameron Harper business could be vital for the rest of the summer

This is the first window in a while where United are not short of cash. The club's American owners are investing a total of £8.5 million into building a new training facility at the Sheepmount, as well as renovating the stadium and surrounding amenities.

They showed a willingness to pay transfer fees in the January window, bringing in the likes of Luke Armstrong, Harry Lewis, Georgie Kelly and others who weren't freely available, in what proved to be an unsuccessful attempt to save the club from relegation to League Two.

Losing £200,000 out of the summer purse, if that is the number they avoided paying, probably wouldn't have destroyed their plans for the window, but it sure does help when you save that amount of money at the level that Carlisle are at.

That money could be the difference between being able to buy a player that Simpson feels will put his team over the top, and not being able to.

There is a debate to be had about whether he needed to make this public knowledge, as teams may try and charge more for players knowing that they have an extra six-figures to work with, although this will probably end up happening anyway.