Hartlepool United are continuing their recruitment plan under new manager Lee Clark, with three players already through the door and now the club’s stance regarding a potential fourth addition has been confirmed.
The Pools have already secured the signings of Jordan Hugill (Rotherham United), Jack Nolan (Morecambe) and Brooklyn Ilunga (Bromley), ahead of next season – as the club continue to plot their return to the EFL.
Whilst more signings will be on the way for the club as the summer progresses, it doesn’t stop speculation in regards to individuals that could join Hartlepool over the coming weeks.
Journalist addresses Hartlepool United’s ‘reported’ winger interest
Unsurprisingly, the new era surrounding the football club has led to several social media reports linking Hartlepool with potential recruits and one of those claims has been addressed on Twitter on Wednesday evening.
With Clark and Hugill having both joined the club from Rotherham earlier this summer, it has led some fans to speculate that a third individual could be repeating the process, however those reports have been ruled out quickly.
As confirmed via BBC Sport Teeside commentator Rob Law, Hartlepool United won’t be signing winger Duncan Watmore on a free transfer this summer.
Watmore was playing Championship football for Millwall as recently as May 2025, but was released by League Two-bound side Rotherham last month and unsurprisngly there has been speculation that he may follow the earlier duo to Hartlepool but this has been ruled out.
The 32-year-old was reduced to just 13 appearances in League One last season, failing to contribute to a goal as the Millers were relegated.
In a reply to a tweet regarding another social media rumour, Law stated…
‘It would seem unlikely now Steve, but never say never. The way Pools are moving it would be silly to count anything out at this point! Apart from Duncan Watmore – we can count that one out !’
Would this have been a good signing?
Other than his earlier spell with Millwall, all of Watmore’s previous clubs have been in the North – with him scoring and providing contributions in the Premier League, Championship and League One throughout his career.
Similarly, Watmore has played under the new manager and would have been a key, experienced addition for Hartlepool on paper.
However, earlier this week saw the Pools win a firmly-contested race to sign Morecambe star Jack Nolan, whilst fellow new recruit Ilunga can also play on the wing. Therefore, there is an argument that another wide-option isn’t likely to be a priority for the club.
Watmore’s 2025/26 campaign was also limited significantly due to injury, which would have highlighted his possible transfer as a risk for the National League side – and despite his experience, signing injury-prone players when you have promotion aspirations isn’t necessarily a good thing.
One Response
TBF to Duncan Watmore, when the horse is dead, stop flogging it