January transfer window: Blackpool's current state of play with five days to go

It’s already been a hectic January for the Seasiders, with a number of comings and goings.

Jake Beesley made the switch to Bloomfield Road from Rochdale, while Owen Dale’s loan move from Crewe was made permanent as per the terms of his initial agreement.

Jordan Thorniley and Ethan Robson, meanwhile, were recalled early from their loan spells at Oxford United and MK Dons respectively.

Heading for the exit door have been Teddy Howe (Barnet) and Demetri Mitchell (Hibernian), while Ryan Wintle (Cardiff City) and Tyreece John-Jules (Arsenal) were recalled from their loans by their parent clubs.

But it’s expected there will be plenty more to come between now and 11pm on Monday night.

Here’s where we currently stand:

Joe Nuttall’s permanent switch to Scunthorpe United is expected to go through today.

The striker’s move to Glanford Park was initially expected to be announced on Tuesday, having travelled to North Lincolnshire to complete the paperwork.

However, Keith Hill’s side were in action against Bristol Rovers last night, which might have been the reason behind the slight delay.

Another player who should follow Nuttall through the exit door is Daniel Gretarsson, who has been strongly linked with a move to Polish side Śląsk Wrocław.

Speaking after Saturday’s win against Millwall, Neil Critchley confirmed there had been interest in his player - and it now appears just a matter of time until his departure is confirmed.

In a perfect world, the Seasiders would like to move on Oliver Sarkic this month, just as they did with Teddy Howe who had his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

The former Burton Albion man is not in Blackpool’s plans and hasn’t even been registered in their 25-man squad this season, so they’ll be hoping to finalise an exit between now and Monday night.

In terms of potential incomings, Charlton Athletic’s Charlie Kirk is a player that could arrive at Bloomfield Road.

Blackpool’s interest in the winger, which was first reported by The Gazette earlier this month, was sparked by the exit of Demetri Mitchell, who recently finalised a move to Scottish side Hibernian.

Addicks boss Johnnie Jackson recently admitted Charlton are willing to listen to loan offers for their player, although there could be an option to buy included as part of any deal.

The League One outfit appear close to bringing in Marcus Browne from West Ham, although The Gazette understands the winger’s potential arrival at The Valley has no bearing on Kirk’s situation.

There’s of course the ongoing saga of Blackpool’s interest in Cameron Brannagan to consider as well, which seems to have stalled in the past week or so.

While there’s been no update in recent days, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this is one that’s revisited during the final days of the window - much like the club’s pursuit of Jordan Gabriel during the summer window.

If the Seasiders fail to get their man for the second window running, they’ll have to turn their attention elsewhere as bringing in a central midfielder is a must.

While Ethan Robson has been brought back from his loan spell at MK Dons, he didn’t even make the squad at the weekend.

While Critchley insisted that was just squad selection and nothing else, it has been rumoured that MK have come back in with bids to take him on a permanent deal, so that’s another one to keep a close eye on.

The same goes for Thorniley, for that matter, as Oxford boss Karl Robinson has previously gone on record with his desire to bring the defender to the Kassam Stadium permanently.

Whether that’s as part of a potential Brannagan deal or not, who knows?

Elsewhere, it seems unlikely that Blackpool will strengthen at left-back despite being without a recognised player in that position.

With Luke Garbutt joining Reece James and James Husband on the sidelines, that prompted suggestions from supporters that the club could look to rectify that in the transfer market.

But chances are Dujon Sterling will cover there, as he did so well against Millwall on Saturday after Garbutt was forced to hobble off, until either James or Husband return.

And finally, The Gazette understands there’s no substance to the bizarre rumours of a potential Jerry Yates departure, which appeared to spring up out of nowhere.

The 24-year-old only signed a new three-year deal as recently as July 2021 and is considered an important part of the club’s plans.

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