Graeme Lee admits Hartlepool United players could have their head turned as club looks to secure new contracts for players including former Sunderland striker

The Pools boss has suggested talks have opened with a number of players over their future at the Suit Direct Stadium, including former Sunderland striker Luke Molyneux, and is hoping for positive news in the coming weeks before the squad heads off at the end of the season.

Pools have all but retained their Football League status which will help Lee in negotiations but the manager is keen to see some of these deals get over the line as soon as possible.

“I want as many as I can getting done as soon as I can,” Lee told The Mail.

“I don’t want to go into the end of the season still trying to secure our own players with clear answers.

“Hopefully we’ll get some lads over the line soon and then we can start building.

“There are still other lads within the club who I haven’t spoke to yet.

“I had the first few highlighted to get done early and then I’ll move onto the next ones so there are lads within the club and then there is also targets which we want to try and do.”

Lee admits however things will begin to get more difficult for players who are out of contract in the summer as other clubs signal their interest with the Pools boss suggesting some of his players could have their heads turned.

“Teams are looking at our players because of where we are and what they’ve done last season moving up in the league and then performing again in this league,” said Lee.

“We’ve made offers and we’ve been in negotiations with players within the team who we want to cement quickly. We’re doing what we can and we are getting closer.

“Obviously if there are other teams from higher leagues coming in, these lads are going to get their heads turned a little bit.

“We’re doing everything we can as a club to make sure we secure them. I want to build on what we’ve got in this team and the foundations of the team and add to that.

“I think if we do that then we will be alright.

“Then there will be lads within the club who I haven’t spoken to yet who I want to speak to. There is lots going on, lots of planning going on.

“I’ve said it all along, the base of this squad is really good and I want to try and build on that.”

Pools’ contract negotiations will be boosted when the club is able to appoint a new head of recruitment following the departure of Lee Turnbull to Peterborough United recently.

Lee was actually interrupted during his media duties by a potential new candidate for the position and admitted a new appointment would help the club moving forward.

“The head of recruitment, which you’ve just all cost me answering the phone to, we’ll hopefully be able to get that tied down and then we can really kick on.”

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