Blackpool's rumoured transfer target is happy at Shrewsbury Town

The Seasiders were linked with a £300,000 swoop for the midfielder a week before the window closed.

A move never materialised though and Neil Critchley’s side would later be frustrated in their attempts to bring in Cameron Brannagan and Matt O’Riley, two other central midfielders, from Oxford United and MK Dons respectively.

Speaking for the first time since the rumoured interest, Vela – a multiple winner at Shrewsbury’s player of the year awards last season – says he’s fully focused on continuing to perform well for the Shropshire outfit.

“It was just a bit of speculation, obviously,” the former Bolton Wanderers man told the Shropshire Star.

“It didn’t affect me because I was just concentrating on being here and working hard for this place and the manager.

“I want to be here, work hard and make sure this team gets up the table.

“I had it before a few times when I was at Bolton, teams sniffing about, but I’m just getting on with my job here.

“My job is here and, as long as the manager wants me, I’ll be here for him, to help him.”

The midfielder is out of contract at Shrewsbury next summer but is thought to be keen to extend his stay with the League One side.

Vela insists he’s settled at the club and in the area, with a second child on the way.

His manager Steve Cotterill admitted he was pleased to have kept hold of one of his star players.

“It’s nice to hear those words from the gaffer,” Vela said.

“I’m pleased to be here and I want to be here. I want to play for him every week.”

Cotterill added: “Josh is a good lad. All the talk about there being a bid for him, it was just talk.

“Then somebody else jumps on it, then somebody asks a question, and it escalates into something that was never there.

“I don’t take any notice of what goes on and what is written, you know what’s going on in-house.

“I really didn’t have any fears of Josh wanting to leave. Even if Blackpool had come in for him, Josh wasn’t sure he wanted to leave anyway, I think he’s committed to us.”

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