Scunthorpe United manager confirms interest in permanent deal for Blackpool striker Joe Nuttall

The 24-year-old, who has been told he's free to leave Bloomfield Road, was spotted in the crowd at Glanford Park on Saturday watching Scunthorpe's 1-0 defeat to Newport County.

Speaking to BBC Radio Humberside this morning, Hill revealed Nuttall is a player the Iron would like to bring in.

"He's someone I spoke to," Hill said.

"He's someone I know. I've not worked with him before but I've previously tried to recruit him when he was doing exceptionally well at Blackburn under Tony Mowbray.

"He was sold for quite a significant amount of money to Blackpool, where he's suffered subsequent injuries which is why he's not played.

"It could be a potential opportunity for us and we're in negotiations. We're speaking with him and we're part of his options."

When asked about the prospect of him signing ahead of Scunthorpe's game against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, Hill replied: "Not ahead of tomorrow."

The striker hasn’t played a game for the Seasiders since September 2020 and hasn’t even been registered in the club’s 25-man squad this season.

The 24-year-old, an August 2019 signing from Blackburn Rovers for an undisclosed fee, has scored just four goals in 34 appearances for the club.

But Hill believes he can "re-invigorate" Nuttall's career with the League Two outfit.

"He's someone that can retain the ball, he's still very mobile and he's still only 24," Hill said.

"He's a talented boy who started his career at Manchester City and did ever so well to re-establish himself as an elite Championship/League One striker under Tony Mowbray.

"He got sold for a large amount of money and things have just not happened for him because of the injury situation, which has held him back. But we could give him the opportunity.

"If you look at his pedigree, he's exactly the type of player I want.

"As a manager I've worked with a lot of players like him who need a platform and an opportunity to re-invent and re-invigorate his career and I have a past record of doing that.

"I see him as a similar challenge to Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Scott Hogan, Ian Henderson to a certain degree, who all went on to score a lot of goals under me."

When pressed on whether the move would be a loan or permanent, Hill said: "Potentially permanent.

"Myself and Joe are on the same page, it just comes down to our embargo and other people within the football club negotiating."

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