League Two side Carlisle United have signed Leeds United midfielder Alfie McCalmont on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 22-year-old has made two senior appearances for the Whites during his time in West Yorkshire, both of which came during EFL Cup clashes in the 2019/20 season.
He has spent the last two seasons on loan at lower league clubs: first Oldham Athletic in 2020/21 followed by Morecambe last year.
The Northern Ireland Under-21 international is in the running to make his debut when Carlisle take on Newport this Saturday.
McCalmont’s new boss Paul Simpson said, as per the club’s website:
“I’m delighted that we’ve secured Alfie for the rest of the season.
“He’s a quality footballer who will add good competition to the group.
“I’m looking forward to working with him over the coming weeks and months.”
The right move
This seems the right decision for both clubs involved, as well as McCalmont himself. It’s no secret that he has struggled for gametime during his time playing for the Whites and he is unable to develop as a player without it.
By all accounts, including Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch, McCalmont is a player of considerable quality who will certainly help Carlisle in chasing promotion from League Two this season.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for the youngster in the longer term, but his performances whilst out on loan this season will definitely be worth keeping an eye on.
