Graham Kavanagh waits on Carlisle United striker target

Kavanagh is keen to add to the nine summer arrivals at Brunton Park

Carlisle United manager Graham Kavanagh is keen to bring in a striker before the season begins and is waiting on a decision from an unnamed forward.

The Cumbrians released forwards Lee Miller, Nacho Novo and Lewis Guy at the end of last season, and have brought in Billy Paynter from Doncaster.

Mark Beck and David Amoo are the only other senior forwards in the squad.

Kavanagh told BBC Radio Cumbria: "I'm waiting to see what the player's response is. It's a centre forward."

He continued: "I've been looking at players, there have been quite a few offered to me and I wanted to get the right one.

"If we get this one in I'll be extremely pleased."

Josh Gillies, who spent part of last season on loan at Conference Premier play-off winners Cambridge, has played in an advanced role during pre-season as Kavanagh experiments with his squad.

The arrival of new signings, coupled with Gillies' return to the United squad, means Kavanagh has a new-look squad in which to mould into his regular system this term.

"Because we've brought in nine new players, we need to see and show a quicker understanding in gametime," Kavanagh continued.

"I purposefully played the team the way I did to give lads opportunities, but over the last two games [against Dumbarton and St Mirren] I will look at cementing two shapes.

"We need to hit the ground running when the season starts, we're going to come to a lot of stadiums where it's not going to be pretty."