Hartlepool United miss out on transfer target but Ronnie Moore still looking

Moore revealed today that a midfielder he was chasing has gone elsewhere.

The Pools manager was not naming names, but SportMail understands he was looking to bring in Portsmouth’s Nigel Atangana.

But the 26-year-old has instead signed for fellow League Two club Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee.

Moore said he was looking for an Aaron Tshibola-type player to boost the midfield.

Tshibola spent half a season on loan at Pools last season from Reading, helping Moore’s great escape act.

“We missed out on a centre-midfielder who went somewhere else, which was disappointing for us,” said Moore. “He’s a big, strong lad.

“He would have brought some physicality in there, something I think we haven’t really got.

“He would have been a Tish type figure, the players we have in there at the moment are a very similar.

“We have five or six midfielders but they are all of the same type of mould.

“We’re looking to get a bit of height and physicality.

“We missed out on this lad unfortunately who has gone to another club in our division.

“It’s disappointing, we thought we had half a chance of bringing him in.”

Moore though said he is keeping his eyes peeled for new targets and says he is hopeful of adding ANOTHER striker following the successful capture of Ellis Harrison on a month’s loan from Bristol Rovers.

“We are looking everywhere,” said Moore.

“We started up front – we have one in [Ellis] and with a bit of luck we’ll get another one in up top.

“It gives us variety of how we play up there.”