Dave Challinor provides more insight into contract situation at Hartlepool United and which players he will be offering new deals to

Only a handful of United players are contracted beyond the current season.

The Pools boss has confirmed talks are under way and there are a few players at the top of his list when it comes to new deals.

“Feaths [Nicky Featherstone] is out of contract in the summer but him, along with a few others are ones we’re looking at extending because they are the ones that we want to keep with us.

“At the moment, we’ve got Ben [Killip], Gus [Mafuta], Ryan [Donaldson], Mols [Luke Molyneux] and then beyond that there’s Aidan [Keena] who we’ve brought in who is contracted, I might be wrong, but everyone else is out of contract.

“Moving forward, Ryan is one that is contracted for next season, but even if he wasn’t he’ll still be one I’d want to keep hold of.

“He’s probably the one player in the team I could go and ask to play right-back, left-back, central-midfield, left-wing, right-wing, centre-forward, off the front and he’ll go and do a job for me.

“I wouldn’t ask him to play in goal or centre-back but aside from that, I know what I’m going to get wherever I put him!”

Key players such as Gavan Holohan and the injured Luke James are just two believed to be in Challinor’s thoughts regarding contract extensions.

“These are the players who get the club and get what the minimum requirements are and understand the criticism and expectation that comes with it,” Challinor added.

“They will be a big part of what we’re trying to do moving forward.

“We're making decisions over who we want to keep and the players obviously have their own decisions to make.

“The more of those we can tie down quicker, the better. A lot of the players we have will hopefully be with us next season, we see that as a constant moving forward but we obviously have our own ideas regarding who we’d like to bring in and strengthen.”