Peterborough United, Bradford City striker Luke James: Can Hartlepool United pull off deeal?

SportMail revealed on Friday that Pools were linked with an attempt to sign the striker on a loan deal, with competition from another League Two team.

James has returned to Peterborough United after Bradford City ended a season-long loan arrangement four months early.

Pools have stepped in for the 21-year-old and after Moore believed an agreement had been reached at the end of last week, fears the deal may have stalled.

“We thought we had a signing done and dusted on Thursday,” Moore explained.

“It’s unbelievable it broke down – you think you have someone then you haven’t.

“Now the centre-forward we had already brought in on loan is injured, so we need to bring someone in.

“The chairman has done everything we’ve asked - he’s given us full backing on trying to get people in.”

However, Moore said, not for the first time, that the club will not pay what they consider to be over-the-top demands.

“You can’t be held to ransom, when you are being asked to give more money than the deal which had been agreed,” he said.

“I hope it does not fail because it will be a nice little move for us.

“I think one or two people may have guessed but I’m not saying who it is.”

Moore’s frustration though was clear and undertstandable.

“It still seemed on on Friday but then it went backwards from there, the club we were dealing with started hinting they wanted more money.

“It fell through before the Cambridge game but hopefully we can get it done early this week.

“We’ll have another try but, like I say, we won’t be held to ransom.

“If we can’t do this deal then we’ll move on somewhere else.”

It may require some skilled negotiations today from Pools chairman Gary Coxall and chief executive Russ Green to revive the move.

SportMail believes another League Two club are involved in talks with Peterborough for the former Pools player of the year, so perhaps it may be no surprise Posh might try to hike up the price.

James left Pools on transfer deadline day in August 2014 in a transfer reputed to be £500,000-plus.

While his departure left a sour taste in many mouths - the Northumberland-born Pools-produced forward went on strike until he got his move – his record in blue and white was outstanding.

James almost saved Pools in League One in 2012-13 when he came close to pulling off John Hughes’ great escape bid.

And his goals the following season certainly helped Pools stay up when the team came close to going down.