Hartlepool United will 'definitely' sign a goalkeeper as Dave Challinor outlines transfer targets ahead of League Two opener against Crawley Town

Dave Challinor is anticipating a busy week in the transfer market ahead of Saturday’s League Two opener against Crawley Town (3pm kick-off).
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Pools have completed six summer signings so far ahead of their EFL return with Neill Byrne, Reagan Ogle, Martin Smith, Fela Olomola, Jake Lawlor and Mark Cullen arriving at Victoria Park during pre-season.

And the Pools boss hopes to have at least a couple more through the door before the weekend.

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“We’re able enough to add more at the minute,” Challinor said. “I’m hoping we will have some in for the weekend.

Jake Lawlor has recently signed for Pools (photo: HUFC)Jake Lawlor has recently signed for Pools (photo: HUFC)
Jake Lawlor has recently signed for Pools (photo: HUFC)

"The difficulty is more around whether they’ll be loans and with loans, you’re reliant on other clubs.

"There are players who will become available and when they do, a lot of that is dependent on whether other clubs bring other players in. I’d love to say we’ll be able to bring in four more before the weekend but it might be that we have only two or three in before the weekend.

"I have no idea because it’s very much an hourly [changing] thing from our perspective. I was on the phone this morning catching up on things, players and clubs are having meetings and I could check my phone after this and have three positive WhatsApp [messages] saying you can have this player and that player and things will look a lot different.

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"It’s important that we’re as patient as we can be to get the right ones in.”

When discussing what positions Pools will be looking to address this week, Challinor added: “We undoubtedly will bring a goalkeeper in.

“We’ll have a second goalkeeper and as I say it’s unquestionable. Whether that’s a loan, a short term, a permanent, we’ll look at lots of different things and lots of different options.

"A lot of that depends around budget and where we need to spend that budget elsewhere.

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“We need forward players, that’s a given. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work that out but it’s about getting the right ones in.

"The right profiles for us and the ones that can have an impact and replace the goals that we’ve lost and that’s what we’ll try and do.”

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