Incoming…

Another signing imminent according to Twitter. The trialist keeper or the trialist striker?

‘Keeper it is….

Carlisle United have today captured keeper Lukas Jensen on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Burnley.

Jensen, 22, signed for the Clarets in September 2019 after impressing during a trial period.

The Dane started his career with hometown club Helsingor and also enjoyed a spell with second-tier outfit Hellerup IK.

He became a regular in the Clarets' U23s side, building up a reputation for saving penalties, and penned a new deal at Turf Moor in January 2020.

He progressed to the first-team squad and featured on the bench following the Premier League's project restart towards the end of the 2019/20 season, and the departure from Turf Moor of Joe Hart.

Jensen then secured a loan move to Bolton Wanderers in January 2021 and was part of their League Two promotion-winning squad, as understudy to Matt Gilks.

A trigger of a 12-month extension was activated at the end of last season and he immediately joined Icelandic side Kordrengir on a two-month loan deal, before heading back to the UK to team up with the Blues.

Manager Chris Beech said: “It’s no secret that we were in the market for a goalkeeper and the phones have been active with various options over the past few weeks, so it’s pleasing to welcome Lukas to the football club.

“He joins us on-loan from Burnley where he’s held in high regard. They see him as having a real chance in the game, and there were other clubs who were also looking to take him, but both Burnley and Lukas consider us as the right destination for him.

“Lukas had a loan spell with Bolton last season, but didn’t play. He’s been around that promotion winning environment and that will have done him a lot of good.

“A huge positive for me is that he has joined up with us having been over in Iceland, playing in their summer league. Burnley cut short that loan so he could come here. He’s done a couple of months where he’s been playing games back-to-back which will be hugely beneficial to us and him.”

“In terms of goalkeeping, his standout attribute is his physicality,” he continued. “He’s 6ft 6”, and League Two football can be won or lost on set plays.

“Lukas fills the goal, he’s 22 years of age, so not a junior keeper, but one probably on the cusp of pushing on to establishing himself in that first-team environment.”

“From a Carlisle United perspective, we’ve already got a huge talent in Magnus Norman,” he commented. “He’s another with great attributes and we saw glimpses of that last year whenever he played.

“His dominance when getting the ball, his kicking and throwing were all excellent when he came in, and he’s maturing into the player I think he’ll become.

“I want to generate a real competitive edge for that position. There’s no benefit in having one goalkeeper who is so much better than the other that’s it’s pointless the other being in the building.

“Both our keepers also have the ambition, professionalism and energy that is so important to establish, backed up with two incredibly talented youngsters in Gabe Breeze and Scott Simons.

“Dan, our goalkeeping coach, can’t wait to get on with it. It’s like Christmas Day morning for him. He’s got some talented lads to push forward on a daily basis and the competitiveness in that area will stand us well for the season ahead.”

Lukas, who has been training with the club since early July, will play in the friendly at Chorley on Tuesday night.

This deal remains subject to the completion of all necessary paperwork, and to the receipt of International Clearance.

I thought he'd be Brian's son, being a Dingle etc, but apparently not.

He was 6'3" in 2018, impressive growth that in three years, must've been on the Ent draft.

Also, Beech's comments about Hanford are slightly disturbing. Christmas in the Hanford household and Dan wakes up surrounded by talented young boys he's never met before.

Right then.

That's perfectly normal.

And another; Mampala’s now signed……

Carlisle United are delighted to confirm that striker Manasse Mampala has signed a one-year contract with the Blues which keeps him at Brunton Park until the summer of 2022.

Mampala, who turned 21 last week, has spent the summer on trial with the Cumbrians and has scored twice in his pre-season friendly appearances.

His all-action approach has endeared him to the fans with an ‘announce Manny’ response accompanying every post the club makes, from ticket news to match reports.

The tall, strong forward was born in Kinshasa, in DR Congo, and move to England at the age of two. He joined the Everton Academy as a 15-year-old and became a regular in the under-23 squad.

He enjoyed a standout season for Paul Tait's under-18 Blues side in 2017/18, contributing 11 goals and chipping in with six assists in 18 appearances in the U18 Premier League.

Mampala signed his first professional deal with Everton in July 2018 and grabbed his opportunity to earn a second one-year contract in summer 2019 having been part of the team that romped their way to league and cup success under David Unsworth that year.

He featured in the EFL Trophy games against Mansfield and Burton for the Toffees early in 2019 and joined QPR on a one-season contract shortly after he’d made those appearances.

Manager Chris Beech said: “It’s no secret that Manny has been with us for a few weeks now, during pre-season, and he’s done really well.

“I was aware of him at Everton, he was a regular goal scorer with their under-18s, and he progressed through to the under-23s where he perhaps didn’t have the same levels of success.

“Personally I think there were a couple of reasons for that. The physical and technical elements of the game change, more so the demands in those areas - the Premier League sides have the fire power to replace rather than enhance, which can often be an unforgiving environment.

“In the under-23s Manny ended up playing wide because of his pace, and to suit some of the other players they had in the building.

“Ultimately Everton allowed him to leave, and in stepped QPR, but put the pandemic and all the other nuances into the mix and he found himself a free agent this summer, probably at the wrong age and with little experience.”

“Youth football is my background, I’ve worked in environments where you have to make what you’ve got better, however you manage to do it,” he continued. “In Manny’s case I feel he gives us something to work with, and perhaps with some positioning and traits tweaks here and there.

“He’s very much a work in progress, but if he listens and learns he’ll be an exciting player. He’s already had the introduction into the staff offices, we’ve been pulling him in and shown him clips of what we want him doing and how we feel he should be adapting to us.

“Manny is another that epitomises what we’re trying to do at Carlisle, by representing this football club through hard work, honesty and effort. Manny has personally put himself out to come in with us, we’re not around the corner, he’s shown up and trained hard.

“For those that haven’t seen him play he gives us something different. He’s 6ft 2” and strong, and I’d like to encourage the physical side to his game.

“When he wants to be he can be a handful. He’s already integrated himself well within the group and once the supporters see what he’s all about I’ve no doubts he’ll also become a favourite with them."