Young Hartlepool midfielder Josh Hawkes is apparently a transfer target for several higher league clubs, according to reports in the press. The 20 year old has even attracted Premier League attention, with Newcastle United monitoring his progress.
The Magpies’ local rivals Middlesbrough and Sunderland, currently plying their trade in the Championship and League One respectively, are also said to be interested in Hawkes, said to be one of the best upcoming young talents in the North-East. The trio face competition from a host of other clubs- Burnley, Huddersfield, Sheffield United and Hull City among them.
Hawkes was linked to a switch to Leeds last summer, but the transfer didn’t materialize, and he stayed at Victoria Park. For a medio, Hawkes has notched up pretty impressive stats- he’s scored five times in 21 appearances for Hartlepool in the Conference this season. All five goals have come in the last three months, where he’s struck a rich vein of form, including strikes against Dover, Maidenhead, Braintree and Boreham.
A move to League One or the Championship may be better for the youngster’s progress rather than a switch directly to the top flight. Hartlepool are currently 13th in the Conference standings.
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