Hartlepool United transfer news: HUFC linked with ex-Leicester City forward and former Brighton defender
Hartlepool United transfer news: Two players linked with HUFC.
Hartlepool United have been credited with an interest in two players as the club close in on new signings.
National League Pools have enjoyed a strong start to their summer recruitment with Jordan Hugill, Jack Nolan, Brooklyn Ilunga and Corey McKeown all arriving at The Vic. BBC Tees’ HUFC reporter Rob Law has reported Pools have an interest in ex-Brighton & Hove Albion centre-back Charlie Penman, 20 and former Leicester City youth Chris Popov, 21, a Wales Under-21 international forward.
Posting on X, Law said: “Hartlepool United are understood to be interested in signing centre-back Charlie Penman. The 20 year-old came through the academy at Brighton & spent time on-loan at Aldershot last season, but was released by the Premier League club at the end of the campaign.”
He added: “One to keep an eye on - Chris Popov. Released by Leicester at the end of the campaign after spending time on-loan at Morecambe, where he score 7 goals in 18 games.”
What has Hartlepool United head of recruitment Chris Beech said about transfers?
Providing an update to the Mail, Beech - when asked what Pools fans can expect before the start of the season on the transfer front - said: “Well, you need a squad that's competitive and you need to make sure that you recruit so it is. Nobody is guaranteed a spot - go and make it your own. [The] squad's not going to be massive, because you can often have a lot of disgruntled players sat in tracksuits in a stand and it's not great around the changing rooms. “Ultimately, from a head coach's perspective, speaking from my past, on a Saturday there's 11 lads that love you and there's three that have got on that think you're all right, there's people that haven't got changed that think you don't know what you're doing. So that's just what happens, but we've got to make sure the culture of the club is forward-facing, that it's together, and the players within that can look to, simply score the next goal and win the next game.”
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Pressed on whether there would be any new faces over the coming week, Beech said: “Yes, so there's a couple of medicals, three or four medicals to go on in the next day or two. Obviously, hopefully they go well, terms have been agreed with the players to support the current squad, and of course there are some challenges ahead in regards to positions that we need to fill.
“Everybody can't start that first game, but everybody should be here wanting to start that game. We're recruiting players that, like we said before - for different reasons - we can be their opportunity.”
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