Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has confirmed young star Rob Apter is training with Livingston ahead of a potential loan move in January.
Blackpool opted to loan Rob Apter to Bamber Bridge earlier this season, giving him a shot at regular first-team football away from Bloomfield Road.
Apter made good on his chance with the non-league side too. His displays earned him a new long-term contract with the Tangerines and plenty of praise. Now, the club’s plans for Apter heading into 2022 have emerged.
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As quoted by Lancs Live, Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has revealed Apter is training with Scottish Premiership outfit Livingston.
Critchley confirmed Apter has linked up with the club after a week of training with the first-team, labelling this as the “next natural step up the ladder” for the 18-year-old prodigy.
Here’s what he had to say on the matter:
“Rob had a great time at Bamber and signed a new contract here.
“He’s been to Livingston this week with a view for them to look at him as a potential player for them on loan, so we shall see what the outcome of that is.
“That is a step in the right direction for Rob, he was training with us last week and he’s full of life and confidence as he would be, he’s had a really good spell at Bamber and now it’s sort of like what is the next natural step up the ladder for him.”
A future star
Apter looks to be one of the Tangerines’ most promising talents at the moment.
His impressive performances with Bamber Bridge have earned him international recognition already, making his debut for Scotland’s U19s in November. Apter played three times for Billy Stark’s side, scoring in a 3-0 win over Gibraltar.
It will be interesting to see how he fares in Scotland with Livingston if a loan move materialises. If he can make a good impression in the Scottish Premiership, it may not be long before Critchley looks to bring him into his first-team plans at Blackpool.