Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor welcomes EFL interest in his players during January transfer window

“If we have interest in our players it means we’re doing something right,” he told The Mail.

And with Pools sitting second in the National League table, a number of the club’s players are being looked at by Football League clubs.

But Challinor revealed that is as far as any interest has gone so far this window as he aims to keep his in form side together while hopefully strengthening with a couple of new signings.

Pools have had a number of trialists training over the past month including former Leeds United and Sheffield United academy midfielder Connor Leak-Blunt and ex-Leeds, Guiseley and Östersunds midfielder Alex Purver among others.

When asked about the prospect of players leaving the club this month, Challinor responded: “Everyone is for sale at the football club but that’s the case at most football clubs at our level.

"If we haven’t got interest in our players and if our players aren’t being signalled out or looked at then I’m not doing my job properly.

"If I’m not doing my job properly then I’m out of a job.

“So long may [the interest] continue, the group we’ve got is a good group who are really happy with what we’re doing at the moment.

"We’ve got a really good dressing room and the people we’ve got here, you can use Jamie [Sterry] for an example, these are people who have ambitions a lot higher than this level.

"But he’s playing, he’s enjoying his football and he’s been able to play week in, week out which is something he’s not been able to do for most of his career to be fair.

"Like I say, hopefully we can keep the group together and keep that special feeling and keep that feeling that there is something there for us that we want to go and grab.

"At the moment they’re doing that and I don’t see them giving that up without a fight.

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