This is what Keith Curle has said on Hartlepool United's start to the January transfer window

Curle, at the time of writing, has already brought in two new signings in the shape of Matt Dolan from Newport County and ex-Hartlepool defender Peter Hartley after his time in India came to an end, with more new players still in the works.

The Hartlepool boss admitted after the New Year’s Day draw with Harrogate Town there had been a delay on one potential new arrival, something which continues to be a hold-up, but has admitted there are still players he, and his recruitment team, are making a decision on.

Curle told The Mail: “We’re still on track. We’ve had to wait and that’s something that I’m used to. We knew that was going to happen.

“We’ve got players who will be coming in and training, we’ve got a couple of players we’re trying to have a look at to make final decisions on. Some of the negotiations are ongoing, we’re speaking to players that we’ve identified that may be available and then it’s a case of me selling the dream.”

And just how does Curle sell that dream to any potential new recruits?

“A lot of it is identifying to the players how I see them fitting into our team shape,” said Curle.

“The players we’re trying to bring in, we want to have a direct impact on the first team.

“It’s football. You have to go through the correct channels,” he added.

“You speak to the football club, you speak to the players’ agent to structure a deal and then nothing is signed sealed or delivered until I speak to the player because you can agree the finances but, ultimately, if the player is not of the right mindset and mentality, or not coming for the right reasons [then I don’t want them here].

“If I don’t think, after those meetings with the player, they’re right for me, I don’t waste peoples’ time. I want people to come in and hit the ground running, knowing what’s expected of them.”