Newcastle and Sunderland are targeting young striker Joe Grey and, speaking to The Mail, Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor has admitted that there is ‘some uncertainty’ about his future.
Non-league clubs have been hit harder than anyone by the ongoing financial crisis which has football in a vice-like grip.
After all, Hartlepool rely almost solely on gate-receipts and, with fans not expected to return to Victoria Park for a matter of months, the fifth-tier outfit have had no choice but to cut costs.
That means many a talented youngster has been shown the door with their contracts expiring this month.
And, according to TEAMtalk, the highly-rated Grey could be honing his development on the banks of the Wear or the Tyne before long, with two north east giants looking to snap up the Hartlepool forward.
“Joe is still on his scholarship contract so we’ve had conversations with his agent and there’s some uncertainty about how the youth aspect of the club will run next year moving forward,” Challinor explains.
“There has been some external interest in Joe but he has signed a two-year scholarship contract.
“So if someone was interested in taking him, then there would be a compensation figure to pay or it would go to a tribunal.”
Grey is not the only Hartlepool starlet on Sunderland’s radar.
TEAMtalk reported in June that Josh Hawkes, a dynamic goalscoring midfielder, could be on his way to join Phil Parkinson’s side, though there is also interest from the likes of Sheffield United, Burnley and Huddersfield Town.
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