Full-back Michael Rose is likely to be a target for League One club Hartlepool - if Norwich City decide not to make his loan move permanent. The Canaries have not made public their intentions regarding 27-year-old Rose, who made 12 appearances during his loan from Stockport County to help City to the title.

Full-back Michael Rose is likely to be a target for League One club Hartlepool - if Norwich City decide not to make his loan move permanent.

The Canaries have not made public their intentions regarding 27-year-old Rose, who made 12 appearances during his loan from Stockport County to help City to the title.

But Hartlepool boss Chris Turner is keen to bring in a specialist left-back and Rose was one of Pool's targets last summer.

Director of sport Turner freed up a big portion of the Victoria Park wage budget last week when he opted not to renew the contracts of seven players, including long-serving centre-half Ben Clark.

Peter Hartley played left-back last season after signing from Sunderland in the summer, but is a centre-half by trade.

As for City's own recruitment drive, they are in pole position to retain goalkeeper Fraser Forster on loan for their Championship return next season - according to reports in the North East.

Newcastle United number two 'keeper Tim Krul is understood to have been given the nod to challenge first choice Steve Harper for first team duty in the Premier League, next season.

All of which would leave the way clear for 22-year-old Forster to gain more experience elsewhere.

Hexham-born Forster made 42 appearances for the Canaries in all competitions and kept 18 clean sheets in League One as Paul Lambert's team swept to the third tier title by a nine-point margin.

He was voted players' player of the season and second in the supporters' poll for the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy.

Reports in Newcastle claim City are likely to get the go-ahead to re-sign Forster for another season on loan at Carrow Road now that he would be playing at Championship level, despite strong interest from newly promoted Leeds United and Scottish champions Glasgow Rangers.

It would fill one of Lambert's key positions as he looks to strengthen his squad over the summer, with

19-year-old Declan Rudd and 17-year-old Jed Steer currently the only 'keepers on City's books. Newcastle manager Chris Hughton enhanced Krul's claims as the main challenger to Harper by saying he would play him in the Carling Cup and FA Cup next season.

Krul, who is currently in Portugal with Holland's Under-21 side, said: "It's all about building up more experience, and next season it gets harder in the Premier League. But if I can get more games for Newcastle, that would be brilliant.

"At the end of the day I want to be a Newcastle player."

Krul's contract is up at the end of next season but the Dutchman is keen to sign a new contract to stay at St James' Park.