Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough men namedropped as L1 club eyes permanent transfer deals

22/04/2024 17:23

Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough loanees George Byers and Hayden Coulson have been mentioned by Blackpool boss Neil Critchley as they look to hold onto their influential temporary players.

Blackpool moved to strike loan deals for Byers and Coulson in January, giving them a shot at regular minutes away from Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough respectively.

Byers had played a good amount but other arrivals pushed him down the pecking under Danny Rohl, while Coulson played only twice in the Championship with Boro before his temporary move.

Both have fared well at Bloomfield Road, aiding Critchley’s side in their play-off push.

Deadline day addition Byers has chipped in with one assist over his 14 League One outings while Coulson has featured 15 times, largely operating in a wing-back role further forward than his regular position at full-back.

The end of the season is nearing and with transfer plans being put in place, Blackpool boss Critchley has been quizzed over the possibility of keeping loan players such as their Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough men.

As quoted by the Blackpool Gazette, Critchley heaped praise on the Tangerines’ temporary aces.

“George has been excellent, he’s got real maturity and real composure, and Hayden has been fantastic too. There’s Rhodesy [Jordan Rhodes] as well, they’ve made a big difference.

He later confirmed discussions have been taking place over the possibility of keeping them for good. Critchley added:

“That’s the discussions we’ve been having, we’re always planning ahead.

“With loan players, their parent clubs have something to say, and when they play well, you get interest from elsewhere. They’re not our players so it’s out of our hands.

“They’ve all contributed and shown their value to the club. They’ve also shown what good people they are and how much they’ve enjoyed playing here, so it’s definitely something we will look at when the season ends.”

Feasible deals?

Time will tell just what decisions Blackpool and parent clubs Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough come to. However, looking at Byers and Coulson’s situations, Bloomfield Road returns seem feasible.

Former Swansea City man Byers sees his Wednesday deal expire this summer and while relegation could make him a valuable asset in the middle, Rohl seems to favour other options to a move elsewhere may be best for his prospects.

Coulson meanwhile as a year left on his deal at Boro but a first-team breakthrough hasn’t come yet, so it seems unlikely. He needs to be playing on a regular basis, and he has a better chance of doing that away from Teesside.

The door seems to be open for both to return to Blackpool, so it will be up to Critchley and the club hierarchy to strike deals if they wish.

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