The Hartlepool United midfielder who has impressed Paul Hartley this pre-season

Niang has featured the most of any player in the Pools squad this pre-season since joining the club from Partick Thistle earlier in the summer with his only absence coming when he was replaced in the closing stages of the win over Marske United due to a slight ankle injury.

And despite being signed predominantly as a midfield player, we have seen more of Niang in a centre-back pairing alongside Alex Lacey, due to a hamstring injury picked up by Euan Murray a number of weeks ago, where, for the most part, he has done well.

But we did get to see Niang back in a midfield role in the defeat to Blackburn Rovers in mid-week where the 22-year-old impressed once again against the Championship side.

Niang demonstrated his physicality both in helping to build attacks and defensively when assisting his defenders with the Senegal midfielder making a strong claim to be included in Hartley’s starting XI against Walsall for the League Two opener.

“He’s been impressive,” Hartley told The Mail.

“Listen, Niang just wants to learn all the time. He’s a great boy. He’s only 22. He knows what he’s good at. He keeps it simple, he’s aggressive. I think the fans like him.

“He can play one up, he can play one back. So it’s really important for us in terms of the versatility and I thought he did really well.”