Carlisle United have insisted they are continuing to explore potential investment in the club – six months to the day the “billionaire” saga began.

And the Blues have claimed that current talks are at “exactly the same stage” as the Andrew Lapping discussions had been after a similar timescale.

United would not go into detail on the current discussions or confirm whether they still regarded the mystery overseas “billionaire” as the only potential option to bring new money into the club.

But the club did say they are planning talks with the Carlisle United Official Supporters Club regarding “investment options”.

A United spokesman said: “Discussions with Andrew Lapping over investment were at exactly the same stage, six months down the line, as current discussions are now.

“At this point with the Andrew Lapping proposal, we were due to meet with the United Trust [now CUOSC] to talk about the options on the table.

“We have a meeting scheduled to discuss the current investment options this week.”

That meeting with CUOSC is understood to be planned for today.

Nigel Davidson, of the CUOSC board, said: “We will be going into the meeting with an open mind to discuss all available options.

“We are looking forward to it.”

It was on May 19 that the club shelved the Lapping proposal after announcing a second party had made a “genuine and firm” investment proposal.

This was later claimed to be an overseas billionaire, though it is understood club owners have still to meet the mystery man in person, despite conference calls and contact with an agent.

Lapping’s plans were later rejected completely, with a scathing statement from Andrew Jenkins questioning the businessman’s ability to raise the pledged investment whilst also criticising some of his “business practices”.

CUOSC had previously voted to dilute their stake in United’s holding company under the Lapping proposal, but there is no sign that a similar vote could be imminent, with no information yet public about current “investment options”.