Is transfer-listed Peterborough United midfielder Oliver Norburn still on Blackpool boss Neil Critchley's radar?
and live on Freeview channel 276
The 30-year-old had been tracked by Neil Critchley in the promotion-winning boss' first stint at Bloomfield Road.
It is understood that the Bolton-born midfielder had seen a move blocked by Posh during last January's transfer window.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHowever, the Grenada international was expected to complete a six-figure switch in the summer, prior to sustaining a serious injury.
Norburn's final game of the 2021-22 campaign came in the 3-1 win against QPR at Loftus Road in March as he suffered damage to his anterior cruciate ligament.
He faced an extensive spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery and, as a result, was unable to complete his move to the Seasiders.
The Director of Football at the London Stadium, Barry Fry, had previously confirmed the news to the Gazette's sister paper, the Peterborough Telegraph, last year.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe said: "We had a gentleman's agreement with Oliver to let him go in the summer as long as Blackpool matched the fee we had rejected from them in January.
"We turned down two bids, but they didn't go as high as £800k. That was how much it would have cost them if all the attached add-ons had been met.
"We kept Oliver in January because the manager (Darren Ferguson) felt he needed him to help us stay up. Oliver was keen to go to be nearer his family, which we understood and why we made an agreement with him."
Fry continued: "A knee ligament injury is never nice, but it's particularly horrible timing for Oliver as he won't play for anyone for a long time and clubs that did want him will presumably look elsewhere.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"It's not great for us either. Ollie playing on an artificial pitch in a friendly international has cost everyone."
Norburn, who has played for Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Tranmere Rovers and Shrewsbury Town during a nomadic playing career, made his return in a 5-2 home win against The Pilgrims in February, coming off the bench to replace Kwame Poku in the 76th minute.
He went on to make 16 appearances in League One and started both play-off semi-final legs against Sheffield Wednesday, which would end in heartache at Hillsborough as the Owls overturned a four-goal deficit to prevail on penalties.
Norburn, in the final year of his contract with the club, was subsequently made available for transfer, alongside Jonson Clarke-Harris.