Blackpool remain keen to make Charlie Kirk's loan move from Charlton Athletic permanent

It comes after there was no mention of the Seasiders taking up the option to buy Kirk in the club’s retained list, which was published this morning.

The club announced that Kirk and Chelsea defender Dujon Sterling had both returned to their parent clubs following the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign.

However, South London Press claim that Neil Critchley’s side are still working on a deal to bring the Charlton Athletic winger to the Fylde coast this summer.

The 24-year-old joined Blackpool on loan from the Addicks during the January transfer window, but has made just nine appearances.

Blackpool included an option to buy Kirk as part of the deal for a fee believed to be in the region of £500,000, the same as what Charlton paid Crewe Alexandra to trigger his release clause last summer.

It’s been suggested that Blackpool could now look to re-negotiate the fee in an attempt to lower it down from that figure.

Speaking earlier this month, then Charlton boss Johnnie Jackson - who has now left the club - suggested Kirk will be welcomed back to The Valley if Blackpool decided against making his move permanent.

“They have got an option on him. We’ll have to wait and see what they are going to do,” Jackson told South London Press.

“As it stands he is our player and will be coming back at the start of pre-season and we go from there.

“It was difficult for him when he joined us. I don’t think he got a real opportunity to show what he’s about. He is a good player and a nice lad. He has gone there and done alright at Blackpool.

“If he is back with us at the start of pre-season he will be afforded every opportunity, like every player, to make the case he should be in the team.

“There is no issue with Charlie and he’s a good player. Hopefully the loan will have benefitted him and he comes back a better player.”

While Kirk failed to find the back of the net during his time with the club, he did produce three assists.

He also created 13 chances during his nine games at a ratio of 1.44 per game, which puts him above Josh Bowler (0.91), CJ Hamilton (0.70) and Owen Dale (0.20).

Keshi Anderson tops them all though with an average of 1.46 chances created per game.

Kirk’s pass accuracy of 77 per cent also puts him among the top Blackpool players, on a par with Kenny Dougall, just behind Kevin Stewart (78 per cent) and Anderson (79 per cent), but lagging behind Richard Keogh (85 per cent).

Kirk made just 14 appearances for Charlton having failed to settle in the capital.

The former Crewe man was left out of Blackpool’s squad for their season finale at Peterborough United on Saturday, however Critchley said that was due to a minor knock.