Next move lined up former Blackpool, Lincoln City and Liverpool midfielder following Bloomfield Road exit

The 27-year-old made 104 appearances for the Seasiders after making the move from Liverpool in 2019- during which time he scored nine goals and provided three assists.

Blackpool’s retained list earlier this month confirmed Virtue would depart the club as a free agent this summer upon the expiry of his contract, but it now seems he won’t be moving too far away.

The Gazette understands the midfielder is close to joining Fleetwood Town- who are managed by Seasiders legend Charlie Adam.

The Cod Army recently suffered relegation from League One, and are preparing for life back in the fourth division of English football.

As a youngster, Virtue spent time with Chelsea, before making the move to Liverpool- where he captained the Reds’ U23s.

After his first three seasons with Blackpool, he spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Lincoln City, making 36 appearances for the Imps.

Following his return to Bloomfield Road last summer, Virtue struggled to nail down a regular place in the Seasiders’ starting XI, with the likes of Ollie Norburn, Albie Morgan, Sonny Carey and George Byers all preferred to him at various times.

A spell on the sidelines through injury also restricted him, as he appeared just 25 times in League One- with the majority of his outings coming off the bench.