The Aston Villa midfielder is currently on loan at Pressley’s Carlisle United.
The Carlisle United manager, Steven Pressley, has confirmed his interest in signing the Aston Villa midfielder, Callum O’Hare next season.
O’Hare is currently on loan with the Cumbrians, for whom he scored the second goal of his six-month loan spell at the weekend.
It is the Aston Villa youngster’s first prolonged spell of first-team football, having only appeared nine times for the Villans, and has also yielded two assists.
And speaking via Carlisle’s official website on Thursday, Pressley said O’Hare has been everything you could want in a loan player.
“Callum has made a terrific impact since he arrived,” he said. “I was chatting to him yesterday [Tuesday] about his fitness.
“One of the most significant aspects a manager can give to a player is fitness, and the ability to be able to carry out everything that’s asked of them. When he first arrived, he actually struggled after 55-60 minutes in matches to carry out everything we’d asked of him.
“Week by week he’s growing and getting fitter and fitter because of the demands of playing first-team football. We’re now beginning to see a really good young player, and a big part of that is that he’s now able to do the things we ask him to do.
“When he receives the ball late in a game he now has the fitness levels to make the right decision, and that’s why we’re seeing improved performances. He’s a credit to himself and the club, not just because of his performances on a Saturday, but also his attitude on the training ground and around the place.
“There’s nothing big time about him, and he’s everything you could want in a loan player. We’re really pleased to have him here, and I’d like to have him back next season if it was possible. If that isn’t the case, it’s only down to him being a real success story during his time here.”
It is understood that O’Hare’s contract is due to expire at the end of this season, although it is likely that Aston Villa will seek to extend it.
He is not the only young Villan to find himself in such a situation, however, after the Port Vale manager, Jon Askey, last week admitted his interest in signing the left-back Mitchell Clark, who has been on loan from Villa Park.
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