Exclusive: Carlisle United and Crawley Town battling to sign MK Dons midfielder | OneFootball

Crawley Town and Carlisle United are both eyeing a move for MK Dons midfielder Stephen Wearne

Crawley Town and Carlisle United are both eyeing moves for Milton Keynes Dons midfielder Stephen Wearne, Football League World can exclusively reveal.

After moving to Stadium MK from National League Gateshead last January, the 24-year-old impressed for the Dons as he notched four goals and six assists in 19 League Two appearances last campaign, which helped the Buckinghamshire outfit land a fourth-place finish and an opportunity to compete in the play-offs.

Ultimately, the Dons lost out in the play-off semi-final stages, losing by a comprehensive aggregate margin of 8-1 to eventual promotion winners Crawley.

The Stadium MK outfit are in the hunt for a top-seven spot once again though, and sit just three points below seventh-place Notts County, ahead of Saturday afternoon's clash with automatic promotion candidates Salford City.

Crawley and Carlisle eye Wearne

Last season, Wearne established himself as a key man for the Dons, who demonstrated a lethal eye for both goals and assists in just 19 League Two appearances.

However, this season, he has failed to score or assist in the league for the Buckinghamshire side, and has been handed just nine starting 11 opportunities.

His lack of game time is a scenario which both Carlisle and Crawley are keen to capitalise on, as they look to snap up the 24-year-old's services this month.

Despite their woeful position at the bottom of the League Two table, Carlisle will fancy their chances of landing the midfielder, as boss Mike Williamson got the best out of Wearne during his time in charge of both the Dons and Gateshead.

Meanwhile, Crawley find themselves locked in to a relegation battle of their own in League One, and have failed to win since a 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic on 3rd December, losing three of their last four games.

Similarly to Williamson, though, Red Devils boss Rob Elliot also knows his transfer target well, having coached him at Gateshead prior to his Dons exit.

Wearne could be a quality addition for either Crawley or Carlisle

Both clubs are in desperate need of bringing in talented players this January, as they look to get the better of their respective relegation battles.

Meanwhile, Crawley boss Elliot and his Carlisle counterpart, Williamson, have both previously managed the midfielder, and are both said to be keen to reunite with their former player.

Perhaps it is Crawley who will hold the upper hand when it comes to negotiations though, as Wearne has never played in League One before, despite being a member of the 2021/22 Sunderland squad who won promotion to the Championship.