MANCHESTER City youngster Jeremy Helan is in line to make his Carlisle United debut at Huish Park today.
The 19-year-old Frenchman has joined on a month’s loan, and is set to feature against Yeovil in League One this afternoon.
A graduate of the world-renowned Clairefontaine Academy, Helan was part of City’s pre-season tour of Poland, but has yet to play competitive first-team football for them.
He has represented Les Bleus at under-16, 17 and 19 levels. Signed from Rennes in November 2008, he is a left-sider who can play in defence or midfield.
The Cumbrians will hope Helan can have as big an impact as the last player to join them on loan from Eastlands, Adam Clayton.
“We are starting to build a good relationship with Manchester City and Jeremy is a player who they rate very highly,” said manager Greg Abbott.
“He has a good reputation, is very versatile, strong and a good footballer, so he will add to the options we have.
“He’s one we are really looking forward to working with.”
Captain Paul Thirlwell is out with a calf strain picked up at Brentford, but defender Lubomir Michalik returns.
The Slovak played the whole of Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Macedonia, and is now a regular in Vladimir Weiss’ squad. The former Bolton and Leeds centre-back is the first Carlisle player to represent his country for 44 years. Abbott is bracing himself for offers.
“I would be watching him if I was the manager of another club,” he said.
“But I have got him here and I am happy with him here. Hopefully that will continue. It is a tremendous honour for the club to have taken a player out of somebody’s reserves, put him in the first team, helped to get his career back on track and made him back into an international.”
Tom Taiwo is expected to fill in for former Sunderland midfielder Thirlwell. Right-back Frank Simek is back in training after tearing a thigh muscle, but needs more time to build his match-fitness.
Striker Paddy Madden is another fortnight further back after a broken metatarsal, while summer signing Andy Welsh has a torn calf muscle.
Yeovil’s former Carlisle and Newcastle United defender Paul Huntington is back from a dislocated finger.
