Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has said the club will “think about” a potential permanent move for Charlie Kirk “in the coming weeks”.
Blackpool brought Kirk to Bloomfield Road in January after the former Crewe Alexandra man endured a difficult first half of the season with League One side Charlton Athletic.
The 24-year-old arrived at The Valley after a starring stint with Crewe Alexandra but struggled to make an impact with little game time.
Since then, Kirk has played seven times for Blackpool, chipping in with three assists.
The Tangerines have the option to make the loan deal permanent too, with a purchase option of £500,000 reported. Now, Blackpool boss Critchley has spoken on the possibility of making it a full-time move.
As quoted by Lancs Live, Critchley praised Kirk for the way he has settled in and acclimatised to life in the Championship before stating Blackpool will consider their position over a permanent move in the next few weeks. Here’s what he had to say:
“I think Charlie has shown his qualities, he makes that little bit of difference in the final third with the technical quality that’s he got with both feet and at set-pieces.
“I don’t think he’s looked out of place in the Championship at all, he’s settled into the group really well.
“Beyond that I wouldn’t want to speculate because he’s a Charlton player and he’s only on loan here so that’ll be something that we have to think about in the next few weeks.”
A deal worth striking?
Kirk has long looked like a player deserving of a shot at playing at a higher level. He was brilliant for Crewe Alexandra and it came as a surprise to see him get such little game time with Charlton Athletic.
With the permanent option said to be around £500,000, it could prove to be a really shrewd signing for Blackpool. Kirk has shown he is capable at Championship level and at 24, he has plenty of time to develop and areas he can improve his game, giving him a high ceiling.
Until a decision is made though, Kirk will be hoping he can continue to show Critchley and co what he’s capable of.
