The state of play with Hartlepool United as we head towards the transfer deadline

Graeme Lee has already brought in five new recruits this month with striker Omar Bogle the standout name to arrive at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Bogle is joined by Middlesbrough and Newcastle United loanees Isaac Fletcher and Joe White while Marcus Carver arrived for an undisclosed fee from non-league Southport earlier this month.

Rotherham United’s Jake Hull rounds off Lee’s transfer activity up to this point after the defender joined on-loan from the New York Stadium for the rest of the season.

But Pools are still in the market to strengthen their squad ahead of tonight’s 11pm deadline.

Harrison Biggins

Pools have been linked with a move for Fleetwood Town midfielder Harrison Biggins with reporter Alan Nixon suggesting Lee is now facing competition from Nigel Clough and Mansfield Town over the 25-year-old's signature.

Biggins has featured 28 times for the League One side this season meaning a switch down to League Two level would be seen as a coup for Pools if they were able to pull it off.

A deal for the midfielder would likely come at a fairly low cost given he is out of contract at Highbury in the summer.

Biggins spent time on-loan with Barrow in League Two last season and would present more competition for places in the Pools midfield should he arrive at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Gavan Holohan future

With that said, a deal for Biggins could mean Lee is set to lose a member of his squad in order to balance out his midfield options.

Gavan Holohan is one player who has been linked with a move away from Pools in the past with the Irishman’s contract also due to expire in the summer.

Holohan was attracting the attention of the likes of Scottish Premiership side Dundee United and League One outfit Shrewsbury Town in the summer with National League big spenders Wrexham and Stockport County also believed to have been monitoring the 30-year-old’s situation.

Holohan has a six-figure buyout clause in place in his contract which could allow Pools to cash in on a player who, potentially, could leave on a free in the summer.

Holohan has struggled to make the same kind of goal scoring impact from midfield as in the National League this season having also struggled with injury in the early months of the campaign.

A move to Stockport would not be beyond the realms of possibility given the obvious connection between the two clubs with former Pools manager Dave Challinor.

Challinor has already welcomed two backroom staff members from the Suit Direct Stadium to Edgeley Park following the announcement of head sports scientist Jake Simpson linking back up with the 46-year-old for a third time.

Simpson follows Clint Hill, who enjoyed a brief spell with Challinor at Pools before moving to the Hatters.

Challinor has also recruited former Pools defender Ryan Johnson to his side meaning any potential link for Holohan would be an obvious one.

Goalkeeping situation

Pools are said to only be in the market for players who become available which suit their needs with a goalkeeper atop of that list.

Lee has made little secret of his desire to find a back-up option for Ben Killip this month after Jonathan Mitchell’s exit following the expiry of his short-term deal at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Pools were believed to have been close to former Sunderland goalkeeper Trevor Carson before he agreed a switch to Morecambe in League One with Lee’s side most recently being linked to Bradford City stopper Richard O’Donnell as first reported by the Telegraph and Argus.

“We’ve spoken regarding that but we’re not much further forward than that at the moment, but it’s something we have looked at,” Lee told The Mail on O’Donnell.

“It’s still a decision as to which way we should go [in terms of a loan or a permanent deal].

“We have got three or four which we are speaking to and again it’s just about making the right decision that will improve us.

“We spoke to options and yeah Trevor was one of the ones we spoke to.

“When you think you’re getting one and you don’t [it’s frustrating]. But League One came in and he wanted to play higher.”

Pools are continuing to explore the avenue of both loans and permanent options for a substitute goalkeeper to compete with Killip but could be forced to look at the free market should the deadline pass them by.

“Ben is doing well at the moment. But there’s people in already training with us and we’re asking questions and getting videos and other things sent to us [on players] so we’ve got a few options,” Lee told The Mail earlier this month.

Another defender?

Elsewhere, Football League World have reported Pools have seen a bid rejected by struggling Oldham Athletic for defender Carl Piergianni.

The 29-year-old has been a regular for the Latics this season including during the goalless draw at the Suit Direct Stadium on New Year’s Day.

Piergianni has attracted interest from elsewhere around League Two, as per the same report, but a move for the centre back would seem unlikely for Pools unless there is to be a late exit.

Both Timi Odusina and Neill Byrne have featured heavily for Lee since his arrival while Luke Hendrie was given the captains armband in last week's Papa John’s Trophy success over Charlton Athletic with Gary Liddle still a mainstay in the heart of the Pools defence this season.

Add in Hull’s loan arrival and it seems as though Lee is well-stocked at centre back making a move for Piergianni difficult.

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