HARTLEPOOL United are yet to receive clarity on whether Chris Maguire will be available to play for the club in the near future as the club are in continuing talks with the relevant authorities over his FA breach of betting rules.

The 33-year-old former Sunderland and Lincoln City winger has been in training with Pools. However, after putting pen-to-paper on a contract with the club, it has since been rejected because of his FA breach.

As things stands, Maguire’s ongoing situation may not be resolved for some time as Pools interim boss Keith Curle explained to BBC Radio Tees Sport: “You’ve got the football club, you’ve got Chris and his agent, you’ve got the PFA and the EFL and then you’ve got the actual case that has been brought against Chris.

“Everything has to get put together but the club have ultimately got to be comfortable with the outcome when we know what that is. At the minute, I don’t even think there has been a date set for a potential hearing, if a hearing does go ahead itself.

“It’s very difficult to comment as a football club without having a clear guideline of what we are dealing with.”

Maguire is well accustomed to the EFL having made 573 appearances in club football which started up in Scotland with Aberdeen whilst notching 111 goals.

There has been no timeframe placed on Maguire’s availability with Pools attempting to determine whether the forward will be hit with a suspension or whether they can actually sign the player.

“A contract was offered and then it got rejected by PFA and then the EFL” Curle continued. “We’re trying to get that collaboration of everyone on the same page but it’s always difficult when you are not working towards a date.

“If we said ‘the hearing is on this date and this is the expected outcome’, it’s easier but it’s not as easy as that. What the football club can’t do is commit to a player with the potential of him not being available.

Whatever the outcome, Curle is adamant that the club will put themselves first as he added: “Chris Maguire is an excellent player. He’s got first division pedigree and then he will command a wage that is able to attract him here. What you don’t want to do is pay a player a wage and he can’t perform. That’s wasting the supporters and the football club’s money.”