'Destined for a higher level' and 'not quite ready' - The verdict on Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton figure's time with Blackpool so far

Adding players on temporary deals has always been a key part of recruitment for teams below the Premier League.

The Seasiders have been able to enjoy a number of standout individuals throughout the years, with one of the most-recent being Karamoko Dembele - who claimed a number of club awards for his performances last season.

For one reason or another, loans don’t always work out, as seen with Dom Ballard during the first half of the current campaign.

Despite getting off to a bright start in Tangerine, game time ultimately became limited for the 19-year-old, leading to his parent club Southampton recalling him.

A number of loanees still remain on the Fylde Coast, and we’ve taken a closer look at how they’ve performed:

Elkan Baggott

After joining Blackpool from Ipswich Town during the summer, Elkan Baggott faced a battle with injury throughout his first six months at Bloomfield Road.

The centre back’s first couple of games did have some encouraging signs, despite the team leaking goals, but his progress was disrupted by an ankle problem.

Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, his return to action didn’t last long, with a thigh injury in his first game back leading to another spell on the sidelines.

In the last month, Baggott has been able to pick up some regular game time, and on the whole has done well.

There’s been a couple of nervy moments, but overall he’s been a real solid unit at the back, forming a strong partnership with Olly Casey.

Having a natural left footer always provides an additional boost, and has helped him in a number of situations.

With only 10 league outings under his belt so far, Baggott will be hoping to pick up more game time heading into the latter months of the campaign.

When he’s played, the loan can be deemed a success, but due to those early injuries, he’s just not been able to feature enough.

Harry Tyrer

Everton youngster Harry Tyrer will no doubt come away from his loan spell on the Fylde Coast as a better goalkeeper, but Blackpool may not get the full benefit of that.

This season is the first time the 23-year-old has featured in the EFL, and that’s been obvious at times.

That lack of experience has proven costly for both Tyrer and the team in certain games, whether that’s his positioning or coming off his line to deal with a ball into the box.

The ex-Chesterfield man has looked nervous in periods, and does have a mistake in him. Equally, there have been some fixtures where he’s been able to utilise his strengths, and has proved himself to have good reactions.

Ultimately, Tyrer probably wasn’t quite ready for this level when he linked up with the Seasiders, but now has a couple more months to prove that he’s been able to learn from the lows as well as the highs.

Odel Offiah

Odel Offiah is the standout loanee out of the summer arrivals. The Brighton & Hove Albion defender has been able to feature 28 times in the league so far, and has really benefited from Steve Bruce’s guidance.

In his first few months, the 22-year-old formed a good centre back partnership with Casey, but in recent times has been used as a right back.

He’s looked comfortable in both roles, with his versatility being a real asset.

Physically, he appears to have all of the right attributes. He’s both strong and has a burst of pace, which both benefits his defensive duties, as well as his bursting runs up the field.

Offiah is certainly someone destined to play at a higher level, and it’ll be interesting to see how his career develops in the next few years.

Sammy Silvera

It’s far too early to judge Sammy Silvera, with the winger only making the move to Bloomfield Road last month.

Since arriving in England back in 2023, it’s been a mixed bag for the Australian, with some promising signs for parent club Middlesbrough and a complete disaster of a loan spell with Portsmouth.

That pretty sums up his six games in Tangerine as well. There’s been a couple of games where he’s looked like a real bright spark, and has been able to demonstrate his potential, while in others he’s been absent and unable to get involved.

Niall Ennis

Niall Ennis has hit the ground running since joining the Seasiders on loan from Stoke City, with four goals under his belt in his first five games.

The 25-year-old looks like a natural goal-scorer - which is something Blackpool have been screaming out for.

Like Silvera it’s early days, but Ennis’ start to life in Tangerine, plus his past record in League One, means he should be someone the club are looking to get on a permanent basis.

His performance against Crawley Town in particular was impressive, and probably missed easier chances than the two he did score.

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