What will Shamrock Rovers full-back Andy Lyons bring to Blackpool?

It comes after the Seasiders came to an agreement to sign the Shamrock Rovers player, who will officially make the move to Bloomfield Road in January.

It’s been reported Blackpool have paid in the region of £300,000 for the 22-year-old, plus potential extras.

While Lyons has predominantly played as a left wing-back for his current side, Appleton’s men have signed him to provide competition for Gabriel during the second half of the season.

Until then, Callum Connolly will provide backup on the right-hand side of defence.

On Lyons, Appleton said: “He’s a very exciting and dynamic full-back who can play either side. He can play wing-back as well, so he’s very versatile.

“He likes to get forward, he scores goals and he’s definitely one for the future.

“He will bring real serious competition to Jordan in the New Year, but for now we’ve obviously got Callum who can do that role as well for us. But it does free Callum up to do what he does more naturally in the central role.

“With Andy coming in, it gives us real strength and competition in that area.

“Obviously he will finish the season with Shamrock (in November), although they’ve got a European campaign to deal with as well, but I’d imagine he will be fit and ready to go come January.”

Including Lyons, Blackpool have made seven signings this summer – five of them on loan.

Appleton admits it’s been a tricky few months in the transfer market for the Seasiders, who are likely to remain active right up until Thursday night’s 11pm deadline.

“It’s been very tough, but again I’m not the only manager out there saying that,” Pool’s head coach said.

“There are certain clubs at our level who have done fantastically well because they went really, really early with their business.

“All I would say in the defence of the club is that they never really had the opportunity to do that because the manager left and a new manager came in and all that comes with that in terms of recruitment.

“We haven’t really had the opportunity in this window to be on the front foot, which is a shame. But we’ll learn from that and do what we can.

“I think we’ve done some decent business in terms of some of the loans and obviously the permanent of Dom Thompson, which was a fantastic acquisition for the club. Andy Lyons will be as well.

“It’s not all bad, we’ve brought some good ones in and we’ve still got a couple of days to affect that as well.”

The Seasiders will also be desperate to keep hold of star man Josh Bowler between now and the end of the window.

The 23-year-old continues to be heavily linked with a move away, with Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest thought to be heading the queue.

Blackburn Rovers, Bournemouth, Fulham and Watford have also been credited with interest.