As announced by the club’s website, and publicised on Twitter (below), Blackpool has made Leyton Orient defender Marvin Ekpiteta their second signing of the summer.
🗣️ "I’ve spoken to Neil and the Club is oozing positivity at the moment, so I feel this is a perfect opportunity to show what I can do."
Welcome to Blackpool, Marv!
🍊 #UTMP pic.twitter.com/VMwooh7Lhw
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) July 8, 2020
The centre-back, described by the Blackpool Gazette as “a quick, modern-day defender” joined the Tangerines after turning down the offer of a new deal to stay at Brisbane Road. Instead, he arrives in the North West on a two-year deal with Blackpool retaining the option to extend this by a further year.
Ekpiteta came into league football with Leyton Orient at the end of January 2018, signing from non-league side East Thurrock before being loaned back to them for a month. Since arriving at the Brisbane Road outfit at the start of March 2018, Ekpiteta has made 76 appearances for the O’s, scoring 6 goals and providing 3 assists.
Player’s view on the move:
“I’m so happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve spoken to Neil and the Club is oozing positivity at the moment, so I feel this is a perfect opportunity to show what I can do. I love to defend and am also confident to play with the ball at my feet when the time is right, so I feel I have a lot to offer to Blackpool.”
Manager view on the move:
“Marvin is an exciting young defender with bags of potential, and we’re thrilled to have him here. He’s a player who has progressed from non-league and has impressed everywhere he has been, and this is the next step in his career. He’s an athletic defender, who will be a wonderful asset to the squad going forward.”
Ekpeteta is a former England C international, making one appearance in mid-October 2018 against Estonia’s Under-23s where he played for the whole game in the centre of defence. Now he has the chance to make a bigger name for himself with the step up to League One football with the Seasiders.