Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has joined Carlisle United on a one-month loan.
The deal should keep Pickford at Brunton Park until March 8, although the Black Cats can recall the 19-year-old England youth international with just 24 hours' notice.
"We were given an opportunity to bring Jordan in and it's one I didn't feel we could turn down," Carlisle manager Graham Kavanagh told the club's official website. "He's an extremely good up and coming keeper and he is very highly thought of by his club. He's a good shot stopper, he comes for crosses and he gives assurance to the back four.
"Sunderland have been good enough to let us have him for what is a very, very decent deal. He will now be involved in an intense first team environment where there is real competition for a starting place. Greg [Fleming] has done well for us in certain games and Dean [Bouzanis] has added to that mix, so Jordan will help to keep the dynamics of that group on its toes.
"We'll see how he handles himself in training and he has a chance to show us that he is ready to start tomorrow. He's in a good place in terms of readiness because he constantly trains with their first team and he has spent time with Alfreton and Burton on loan relatively recently."
Kavanagh added: "The next step in his development is to play in League One and we actually asked a question about him two weeks ago. They wanted to keep hold of him at the time but Gus Poyet called me yesterday and suggested that it was something we could now do.
"He's placed a 24-hour recall on him but he is very happy to put him in our hands. Going back just a couple of days it wasn't something I thought would come off but they have helped in a huge way financially and with the deal overall.
"We're delighted that we've got him and we're looking forward to working with him."
Pickford, who has been allocated 18 as his squad number at Carlisle, has been included in the starting XI for this afternoon's League One clash with Gillingham.
Robert Summerscales
