The Geordie midfielder's contract offer comes after United released Ukranian trialist Dmitri Pronovych earlier in the week and will not be good news for ex-Burnley player Paul Weller who has also been training with the Blues in the hope of winning a contract.
McClen played 14 games for Newcastle over an eight-year period and was released by the North-East giants at the end of last season, he could though find a regular starting place in the United midfield hard to come by as well.
With Chris Billy, Simon Hackney, Paul Simpson, Peter Murphy, Brendan McGill, Adam Murray, Chris Lumsdon (from mid-September following a hernia operation) and McClen himself competing for four starting places the midfield is certainly an area in which the Blues find themselves well covered and there will be a few disappointed faces over the next few weeks plying their trade in reserve football.
United's squad is now looking strong all over the pitch with perhaps the addition of a goalpoaching striker the only option that Simpson will continue to look at although finding a good one is easier said then done.
Welcome to Carlisle Jamie and good luck for the season.