Dave Challinor discusses transfer business, contract offers and what next for Hartlepool United

National League clubs are currently in limbo over how promotion and relegation issues will be decided and when next season will even be able to start, making it almost impossible for managers to plan effectively.

Pools have just eight contracted players for 2020-21 currently on the books at The Vic, with further signings not expected until they have more clarity from the National League over what happens next.

It is a tough balancing act as Challinor told the Mail: “I wouldn’t say we have a ‘top target’ at this stage, it’s something you look at and adapt to.

”We’ve spoke about different things and budgets so it’s difficult to know what your top target is without having tied down the players who are currently at the club and want to keep.

“At the moment, we’ve got eight players contracted for next year and we’ve got tentative agreements with a couple but nothing concrete.

“If we can keep the players we want to who were here last year with us then we’ve got 15-16 players and then we can see where we are budget-wise and where we need to go and do business.

“All of a sudden, if a certain player we want to keep doesn’t sign, as an example with the loan players and Lidds and Timi where we’re looking at doing something with but if neither of those happen then we need two centre-halves and that almost becomes our top priority more so than us needing a midfielder or a full-back for example.

“We need answers first but what we won’t be waiting for answers, our offers will almost be take it or leave it type offers because we need to be clear as to where we’re at because we’ve got a lot of recruitment to do and we need to know where we’re at and want players here who want to be here first and foremost.

“We’ll be moving on and making sure we have people who would interest us.”