Paul Hartley reveals where Hartlepool United will be targeting in the transfer market this summer

Hartley was officially unveiled as the new Pools boss this week and has already made moves in the transfer market after bringing in experienced goalkeeper Kyle Letheren who will join the club in a player-coach role.

Letheren and Hartley worked together during Hartley’s time at Dundee and is the first of what could be several players Hartley may look to link back up with as he looks to develop his Pools squad.

Hartley seemed confident there would be new recruits ahead of the pre-season trip to Portugal for a warm weather training camp with Letheren setting the ball rolling.

And having managed over 400 games in Scotland, and played at the highest level in the Champions League with Celtic and on the international stage, Hartley, and assistant manager Gordon Young, will have plenty of contacts north of the border.

But Hartley was keen to stress that Pools’ transfer activity will not just be made up of moves for players he is familiar with from time spent together and that they will be looking elsewhere too.

“We’ll try [to use our contacts in Scotland], no doubt about that,” Hartley told The Mail.

“But they have to be the right fit for Hartlepool - the right type of player, the right personality and do they fit within our wage structure? That’s always got to be the case.

“We’ve got a lot of players in mind, not just from Scotland but from down here who we think can help us.”

Hartley revealed he does have a number in mind when it comes to the amount of players he will need to recruit this summer but concedes patience might be the name of the game as he looks to shape his squad for the beginning of the new League Two season.

“I’ve got an idea in my head,” said Hartley.

“Listen, we know we’re short so we need a few players in. So over the coming days or weeks, whatever it is, we’ll try and get our squad ready.

“I think it’s really important we get our squad ready for July 30 and that first game of the season.

“Sometimes fans can be a little bit impatient because they don’t see players coming in straight away or the process has taken a little bit longer.

“We’re trying to build the club and build the team the way we want it to be for the season ahead which is hopefully going to be a fun season.”

And Pools fans can expect a mixture of deals this summer whether it be permanent transfers, loan deals or players recruited from free agency.

Both Hartley and Pools chairman Raj Singh have declared they are comfortable with the budget available this summer with Singh insisting it will be the managers call on the type of business they do.

“That’s the managers’ call and Gordon’s call with what they want to do [with the budget],” Singh told The Mail.

“We don’t want to interfere with how they spend the money as long as they spend it wisely, that's fine. Whatever deals they want to do they’ll get a free hand at that.”