Manchester United star Joe Hugill is set to join Carlisle on loan for the rest of the season.
Hugill has impressed coming through the academy ranks and was sent to Wigan Athletic in the summer. He scored five goals in 18 appearances for the Latics, who are struggling towards the bottom of League One.
He was sent back to Old Trafford last week, with Wigan bringing in Will Goodwin from Oxford United to challenge Dale Taylor for the lone striker role in Shaun Maloney's squad. But it appears that United have quickly found a new home for the 21-year-old.
While he has impressed while coming through the ranks, Hugill is not yet ready for a first-team role. And it now appears he is set to make a quick departure following his return to the Red Devils.
According to The Athletic, Hugill is having a medical at Carlisle ahead of a loan move to Brunton Park. United were keen to find the striker a club that would play to his strengths and where he would get regular game-time.
Northampton, Shrewsbury, Colchester and Newport were all also in talks to sign the youngster. But it is Carlisle, who currently sit rock bottom of League Two who have won the race for he United star.
Hugill is expected to feature heavily for Mike Williamson's side in their battle against relegation. He should be registered in time to face play-off chasing Bradford City on Saturday.
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Hugill will be a key addition for Williamson, whose side have scored just 19 goals in their 24 league games so far. Williamson has won just four of his 21 games in charge, with his side seven points from safety.
While he sent Hugill back to United, Maloney still holds the young striker in high regard. He insisted the decision to cut short the loan was due to financial reasons, rather than being performance related.
"It's a budget-related decision really," said Maloney. "I think he's done really well here, I've really enjoyed working with Joe, and I think there's even more development in Joe. In fairness to him, over the last 10 games or so, Dale Taylor has been in really, really good form.
"I know Joe needs to play games. He was always going to leave us if Dale kept his place, which he did...although I still would have liked to have kept him. I know we've signed Will Goodwin, but Joe is a very different profile to him.
"We can only carry two '9s' at the moment. So that's the decision...it's nothing to do with performance, or how we trained...we can only carry two '9s' and that's the decision. We've got Dale and Will, that's what we could do this season. We're happy with the two '9s' we have.”
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