Further incomings and outgoings? A look at what business Blackpool might do in the final week of the transfer window

What feels like the longest transfer window in living memory finally closes at the end of this week.
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Blackpool boss reflects on their poor start to the season

Blackpool have until 5pm on Friday to finalise their business, with deals between English domestic clubs still permitted.

The Seasiders have already been incredibly active in the market this summer, bringing in 15 new players and moving on a further 20 - Michael Nottingham becoming the latest to do so last week, joining Accrington Stanley on a permanent deal.

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Will Blackpool’s poor start to the season see the club dip back into the market? Or were plans already in place?

When asked by The Gazette last week if he anticipates a busy end to the window, Critchley said: “It depends on what you class as busy, I think we’ve been busy so far!

“Obviously we’re only allowed 22 players over the age of 21 and we’re pretty much around that figure now.

“There will have to be room in and out if we’re going to keep to that figure, so I’m not ruling it out both ways.

Will Neil Critchley make any more additions in the final week of the transfer window?Will Neil Critchley make any more additions in the final week of the transfer window?
Will Neil Critchley make any more additions in the final week of the transfer window?
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“Busy, maybe, maybe not, but it depends on what your definition is.”

Discounting Jamie Devitt, who hasn’t been given a squad number this season, the Seasiders have 21 players on their books who are aged 21 or over.

Clubs are only permitted to have 22, meaning the Seasiders still have one spot left to fill before Friday’s deadline.

However, further spaces could emerge if other players are to head out, something which is likely to happen.

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Teddy Howe has yet to feature in the league this season and hasn’t even been included in any match-day squads, his one and only appearance coming in the EFL Trophy game against Barrow.

Fellow defender Jordan Thorniley, meanwhile, faces an uncertain future having also failed to play a single minute of Pool’s opening five league games.

The centre-back did play the full 90 minutes in last week’s EFL Trophy game against Accrington, impressing with a solid performance.

However, he was then left on the bench for Saturday’s 4-1 league defeat against Ipswich Town despite James Husband missing out through suspension and new signings Daniel Gretarsson and Dan Ballard both unavailable.

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Critchley instead opted to play right-back Ollie Turton in the middle alongside Marvin Ekpiteta.

The Seasiders also remain keen to move on Devitt, who remains out of favour and has yet to make a competitive appearance for the club despite signing during the summer of 2019.

Barrow became the latest club to be linked with his signature over the weekend after the likes of Carlisle United, Tranmere Rovers and Bolton Wanderers had been mentioned alongside him.

It can’t be ruled out, however, that no deal comes to fruition and Devitt opts to stay at Bloomfield Road and see out the remainder of his contract - leaving Blackpool paying a player who they won’t be utilising.

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In terms of incomings, Critchley has remained tight-lipped whenever he’s been asked what position he’d like to strengthen - “across the board” being his only response.

Curtis Tilt had been linked with a shock return to Bloomfield Road last week, but that appears to have been a case of his agent trying to engineer a loan move for the Rotherham United man who is only just recovering from hip surgery.

Either way, Tilt has since been linked with Sunderland and Wigan Athletic, while Blackpool have since brought in two new centre-backs.

With four defenders in total arriving in the past couple of weeks in the form of Gretarsson, Ballard, Jordan Gabriel and Luke Garbutt, it’s likely to be further up the pitch in midfield and in attack where the club will be targeting new signings.

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Pool were recently linked with a move for former Aston Villa midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes, but face competition from the likes of Portsmouth, Hull City, Doncaster Rovers and MK Dons.

It was later reported that Scottish side Hibernian and Championship duo Stoke City and QPR had also joined the chase for the free agent.

Given Blackpool’s troubles in front of goal, they’ve only scored six goals in eight games in all competitions, there’s a good chance they’ll also be looking to bolster their forward department.

Sullay Kaikai remains an injury concern, although it is hoped he will be fit for next weekend’s game against Crewe Alexandra, while new arrivals Dan Kemp and Bez Lubala have been used sparingly since arriving at the club.

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Indeed, both of them were left on the bench on Saturday despite Blackpool needing to fight back from three goals down, Critchley only making one change in all - bringing on defensive midfielder MJ Williams for Keshi Anderson.

Will Critchley bring in another player to play on the wing? Or will he look to sign another number nine who can challenge Gary Madine and Jerry Yates, who has yet to break his Blackpool duck.

Either way, it’s been an incredibly busy window for Blackpool - a remarkable summer of change, in fact - and I don’t see it becoming any quieter in the final week.