Everything Steve Bruce has said on Blackpool's January transfer window plans so far
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Blackpool's January transfer business has already begun as they have allowed one of their players to leave.
Elliot Embleton has joined Carlisle United on a three-and-a-half-year deal, leaving Bloomfield Road after just six months. A move had been in the pipeline over the last week and it was swiftly completed, freeing up a place in the Seasiders’ squad.
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Hide AdSteve Bruce just couldn’t find a place for Embleton in his team, following a change in formation from what Neil Critchley used to play with. The 64-year-old has had three months to assess his squad, and decide who should stick around and feature in his plans. To date, his only signing is Josh Onomah who he worked with at previous clubs, but there’s a decision to be made on his future with short-term contract expiring this month.
Here’s everything Bruce has had to say on the matter so far, starting from the middle of November, discussing if transfers were on his mind when he took over in September, the state of play for the Everton and Southampton loanees and more.
“There’s nothing to report straight away, we’re hoping we can do a little bit of business.
“There’s a mixture (of loans and permanent deals). We can’t do many loans because of what we’ve already got, so we’re mindful of that.
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Hide Ad“We’re looking to see if we can strengthen the team if we can, but as we all know in January, it becomes very difficult because teams don’t want to lose their best players.
“Maybe (there’ll be something before the weekend), we’ll see.
“It’s usually the middle of the month - if loans aren’t going too well then the parent club has the chance to recall them.
“We’ll be working on all sorts over the next week or so. We don’t want to let many go, we want to strengthen, but there might be one or two that will change, and it just happens.”
December 29, 2024
“We’re trying, it’s always difficult in January.
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Hide Ad“We’ve got one or two things in the pipeline, but we’ve got to look at how we can improve the team.
“It’s difficult, we don’t just want to bring in bodies for the sake of it, we want to improve the team, so let’s see what we can do.”


“It’s always a difficult market but we’re always having a look, trying to find someone to add to the squad.
“Around the end of January is when you know if you’re going to be in the shake up. I certainly think we should be - that’s why I joined the club.
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Hide Ad“Division one has surprised enormously with some of the quality in there. There are some big clubs with some big budgets this year, so it’s a really difficult league.
“Wycombe are top of the league and no one fancied them - that’s the beauty of it. Then you’ve got your Charlton’s, your Huddersfield’s, your Bolton’s, your Wrexham’s - it goes on and on.
“It’s a competitive and difficult league, but one we’re enjoying.”
“There’s still plenty of time.
“We understand where we are, and I see David (Downes) every day. We’ve spoken about one or two individuals. We’re always trying to improve, and that will never change.
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Hide Ad“If we can get one or two in, then we’ll have to try our best to make it happen.
“I’ve not seen the full squad fit, I haven’t been able to pick my best team yet. We’ve been hit by injuries so we’ve not been able to find that consistency, but I’ve got a fair idea of what my best team is.
“The squad is balanced enough to make a push for where we want to get to, but we’ve not been able to cope with the amount of injuries we’ve had.
“If you took away five or six from anyone’s team, then they would struggle, and that’s the numbers we’re looking at.”
November 22, 2024
“I’ve not really looked into January yet.
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Hide Ad“Of course those conversations will be around the corner, but it’s not always the answer, because when we’ve got a squad of players all fit and raring to go, we’ve got a decent balance; apart from in the wide areas where we’re a little bit short. We’ve just been hit with a lot of injuries.
“I’ve not really analysed it, but we will do, I’m sure. The club and David (Downes) will be looking at it, because that’s the way they are.
“We will be having that conversation in the next two to three weeks, discussing if there is anyone out there who can make us better - that’s normal for any club.
“I looked at the balance of the squad, and thought if everyone is alright then we’ve got a decent enough looking squad to compete with where we want to get to.
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Hide Ad“There’s been times where we’ve lost four or five of the first-team, which is difficult. So we’ve got to get them back fit and up and running again.
“There’s only really Birmingham in this league that could lose so many and cope. It’s pretty obvious we haven’t been able to.”
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