Carlisle United boss Mark Hughes has admitted he is an admirer of Peterborough United forward Chris Conn-Clarke.
The 23-year-old is on the transfer list at London Road after a disappointing debut season and could be available for a National League switch.
Hughes Responds To Transfer Talk
Conn-Clarke was signed by Posh in June 2024 after a prolific 22-goal campaign for Altrincham, which earned him the National League Player of the Year award. However, he failed to replicate that form in League One, starting just 12 matches and scoring once.
Chairman Darragh MacAnthony has since made clear he is looking to move the striker on, even suggesting on his Hard Truth podcast that he could fire a leading non-league side to promotion.
“He’s a good player and I like good players. That is about as much as I’m going to say. He’s Peterborough’s player and if they feel comfortable talking about their player, that’s fine. I don’t have a problem with it.
“We’ve shown our interest in a lot of players and I’ll continue to do that,” Hughes told the Cumberland News & Star.
Carlisle Consider Options
Carlisle have made a solid start to life in the National League, sitting third with six wins from their opening nine matches. After back-to-back relegations, the Blues are eager to return to the EFL and Hughes has not hidden his desire to strengthen the squad further.
While he stopped short of confirming an approach for Conn-Clarke, he admitted that incoming and outgoing business remains possible later in the season. “All I can say is that I don’t think we’re at the point where any players are going out or any players are coming in, so on that basis there’s too much to talk about,” he said. “It’s probably one’s dependent on the other.”
Other clubs have already distanced themselves from a move, with Forest Green Rovers and York City both said to be out of the running. Conn-Clarke remains one of four players Peterborough are keen to offload, alongside goalkeepers Nick Bilokapic and Will Blackmore, and midfielder Ryan De Havilland. Blackmore has already rejected a loan move to Scunthorpe United.
Writer’s View
Conn-Clarke’s struggles at Peterborough have left his future uncertain, but his track record in the National League makes him an obvious target for ambitious clubs in the fifth tier.
Carlisle’s position in the promotion race could make them an attractive option, though Hughes’ comments suggest no immediate move is on the table. With MacAnthony pushing for a resolution, the forward’s next step is likely to be closely watched across the National League in the coming weeks.
