Hartlepool United to miss out on Leeds United midfielder with 19-year-old set for Motherwell switch

McKinstry, as revealed by The Mail, had been under consideration by new Pools boss Paul Hartley earlier this summer before a deal to bring the talented youngster on loan to the Suit Direct Stadium stalled over reported contract issues.

And now it seems Pools will miss out on the Leeds Under-23s star with the 19-year-old heading back to his former club Motherwell.

McKinstry made his senior debut for Leeds last season in the League Cup success over Fulham, in which the young Scotland international converted the winning penalty at Craven Cottage, before earning his Premier League debut in November when coming off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-1 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Hartley remained coy on the subject when asked by The Mail early in pre-season on links with McKinstry saying: “He’s a good player. There’s loads of rumours though, isn’t there?

“I won’t give anything away. We’re linked with a lot of players and as soon as we get a player over the line everybody will be the first to know.”

But now, according to several reports elsewhere, McKinstry looks set for a move back to Scotland for the season.

McKinstry progressed through the ranks at Fir Park before completing a move to the Premier League club in 2019.

Should a deal be completed, McKinstry would become the second reported midfield target Pools have missed out on following Crystal Palace youngster Scott Banks' decision to join League Two side Bradford City.