'They'll have to make a difference:' Neil Critchley sets out Blackpool's transfer state of play ahead of deadline day

The winter window closes at 11pm on Thursday evening, with the Seasiders still exploring a number of different options. Middlesbrough loanee Hayden Coulson has been the only arrival at Bloomfield Road in January so far, while a number of players have left both permanently and on loan.

Critchley states there’s no panic at Blackpool heading into the final day, and insists the club will not do business for the sake of it.

"The fact some players left in midfield makes that a possibility, but the group is coming together here at the moment, so if we bring someone in then they’ll have to make a difference- either for the short-term of the long-term future of the football club,” he said.

"That’s not easy to find, particularly in January, which is why it usually goes down to the last few days of the window. Things can become very complicated. We’ll just see what happens- I can assure you we are always trying to improve, and hopefully at 11pm on Thursday evening we’ll be in a better place than the start of January to attack the remaining months of the season.

"When players are in form it does make it more difficult, but in some ways it makes it easier as well. I know there’s always a fascination about signing players because it builds excitement, but we’re nice and calm. We have a plan and a strategy of how we work- we won’t do anything that we don’t think it right for the football club.

"There’ll possibly be something, but I think I said that last time in the summer and nothing happened, so I’ll be careful with what I say. We’re hoping to add one or two, it’s got to be imminent as there’s not much time left. It’d help in one or two positions, but the group is in a good place. I’m a big believer in working with your own players, and there’s not enough emphasis put on that. It’d be tough for someone new to get into the team.”