DANNY GRAHAM remains firmly on Town’s radar.

As the club announced long-serving defender Andy Holdsworth is to leave and fellow former skipper Jon Worthington agreed a two-year deal with League I rivals Oldham, Galpharm boss Lee Clark confirmed he has continued to monitor January transfer target Graham, who is stalling over signing a new contract at Carlisle.

Town had offered Holdsworth a new three-year contract, but the 25-year-old has been unable to agree terms and leaves after making 261 appearances, with eight goals.

Clark is keen on clinching a season-long loan deal for Liverpool’s England Under 19 right-back Martin Kelly, who kept Holdsworth out of the side at the end of this season.

And he could also launch a bid for Carlisle’s top scorer Graham, who because of his age (23) would command a fee.

Back in January, Town offered a reported £250,000 for the former Middlesbrough man, who scored 16 times this season to take his overall club haul to 40 in 102 games.

And Clark, who has made no secret of his desire to recruit a proven goalscorer, said: “He’s one of a number of strikers we’ve been keeping tabs on.”

Carlisle boss Greg Abbott explained: “At this stage it’s 50:50 on Danny signing a new contract.

“We’ll sit round the table and try and get an idea of whether he wants to commit to this club or look elsewhere.

“We are on hold with things until we find that out.

“Danny has got to make a big decision. If there is interest from other parties then he has to work out which is right and what is best for him.

“At the age he is now, it is an important decision for him.”

On Holdsworth, who helped Town win promotion from League II in 2004 and who was player of the year last season, Clark said: “Andy is a top-class individual and it’s been a pleasure to work with him.

“When I arrived at the club he was in the team as captain and he enjoyed everything about the role. Andy is a terrific professional and a good footballer.

“This is the worst part of the job – having to let good people go.

“We all wish him well and he knows he will always be welcome back at the club for as long as I am here.

“We just could not reach a deal with him and now he will move on.

“I want to get my squad in place as soon as possible and having gone back and forth with Andy for a while, I have had to take this decision.”

Town, meanwhile, are also being linked with Sheffield United midfielder Lee Hendrie.

The 32-year-old former England international still has a year on his Bramall Lane contract, but recently said: “I feel like I have been pushed out of the door.”

Birmingham-born Hendrie, who made his name with Aston Villa, appeared as a substitute in Monday’s Championship play-off final defeat by Burnley.

But chances under Kevin Blackwell have been scarce for a player who had a loan spell at Blackpool earlier in the campaign.

“Things have fizzled out for me over the last two years and that has hurt because otherwise I have enjoyed a good career. Now I want to prove a point to a lot of people,” he said.

“I don’t want to sit back, I want more out of my career.”