Neil Critchley reveals Blackpool's plan for ex-Southampton and Burnley youngsters- following inclusion of Sheffield Wednesday loanee at the weekend

Neil Critchley (Photographer Andrew Kearns / CameraSport)

Youngsters Ryan Finnigan and Dan Sassi have signed with the Seasiders until 2026- with both of their contracts including options for an additional 12 months following their moves from Southampton and Burnley respectively.

Meanwhile, George Byers joined the club on loan from Sheffield Wednesday on Deadline Day, and was named on the bench for the club’s trip to Stevenage at the weekend.

"It was nice to have him involved, but it was a difficult game to get players on and for them to find the rhythm quickly,” explained Blackpool boss Neil Critchley, as he discussed when the new additions could make their first appearances.

"The others are a little bit further away. Ryan Finnigan has been out for about four months so he had only just joined back into training prior to joining us. We’re giving him a little bit of time to build his fitness back up. You’ve also got to understand he’s leaving home and he’ll need time to adapt to new surroundings, new teammates and a new way of training.

"We think he’s a very good player, he just needs time and opportunities. We paid a fee for him and give him a lengthy contract. He’s 20, so he’s only a boy, but we believe in the future he’ll be a very good midfielder. We don’t expect too much too soon, we’ll allow him to settle in and start to build him up gradually.

"Dan Sassi is a little bit different. We’ve brought him in to take him on a journey and we believe he’ll be good enough to be a Blackpool player in the future.

"We always looks ahead. January is about bringing in players to help you immediately, but there’s always an opportunity to help the club long-term. We want to give young players chances to develop- bring them in and give them a chance with the right environment.”

The Seasiders next outing comes on Saturday afternoon when they welcome Oxford United to Bloomfield Road, as they will look to bounce back from their defeat to Stevenage at the weekend.