Noble joined Carlisle on loan until the end of the 2010-11 season

Carlisle United boss Greg Abbott has revealed he is keen to speak to Sunderland boss Steve Bruce regarding the future of midfielder Liam Noble.

Noble, 19, has impressed on loan with the Cumbrians, and recently extended his loan at Brunton Park until the end of the current season.

"If he's going to fit in at Sunderland, that's fantastic for the kid," Abbott told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"If not then we would try to offer him something and make him our player."

Abbott continued: "They're all Steve's decisions at the moment, and I've got a good relationship with him.

That phone call [with Bruce] will take place and I'll find out what Sunderland's plans are, first before we start talking.

I want to keep our better players together, sometimes it's out of my hands with the money thrown at the club, certainly in Gary's case Greg Abbott on keeping his squad together

"I need a conversation with Steve before I make any comment, but Liam is certainly a player who has done ever so well."

The Cumbrians lost striker Gary Madine to Sheffield Wednesday for an undisclosed fee in January, and Abbott is determined to ensure players such as James Berrett and Tom Taiwo, who have another year to run on their existing deals, do not follow suit.

"I want to keep our better players together, sometimes it's out of my hands with the money thrown at the club, certainly in Gary's case, we can't always keep players when they have opportunities to go higher," said Abbott.

"I want to keep the hub of the team, I want to keep the good players and especially the young ones who are developing and not ready to move on.

"I would have no problem keeping them around for another couple of years."

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