Craig Hignett points out what new signing Gus Maftua will bring to Hartlepool United's midfield

Manager Craig Hignett highlighted a physical midfielder as one of his top transfer priorities over the summer.

While at Salford, the 24-year-old certainly incensed Poolies during the final game of the 2018-19 season at the Super 6 Stadium with his enthusiastically physical approach to the match.

And Hignett admitted that the midfielder’s display in that match was something that caught his attention.

“Gus’ arrival gives us even more options across the middle of the park,” said the Pools boss.

“Gus is someone who we earmarked as a target fairly early on. He’s the kind of player we needed – he’s 6ft 2ins, he gets about, he tackles people.

“The Pools fans will probably remember him playing for Salford on the final day of last season when he went around clogging a few!

“He’s a defensive midfielder who will destroy things and win us the ball back but he can also play a bit too. He got promoted with Salford last season and played plenty of games for them so he knows what the league is all about and he’s a strong and competitive player.

“In midfield we now have people who can run, people who can destroy and people who can play so that gives us plenty of options. Competition for places is what drives people on though and we’re lucky because we have that this season,” Hignett commented in his weekly blog.