Details emerge as Championship clubs miss out on Blackpool man

Bournemouth had a £3million bid for Blackpool winger Josh Bowler rejected in the final hours of the January transfer window, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed.

Bowler’s future has been the subject of much speculation this month, with Fulham and Bournemouth both credited with an interest in the former Everton man.

However, it was Forest who had seemingly held the strongest interest in the 22-year-old this month.

Indeed, reports earlier on deadline day claiming that Forest getting closer to meeting Blackpool’s asking price for Bowler.

But despite that, Blackpool have held firm to retain the services of the attacker, in the wake of some significant bids from elsewhere.

According to this latest update from Nixon, the final bid made for Bowler was worth £3million, and in spite of those claim of Forest going close to that valuation, the reporter went on to clairfy that it was in fact Bournemouth that had made that final bid.

This was BOURNEMOUTH btw … https://t.co/T800xX7PSh

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) January 31, 2022

Bowler is out of contract at Blackpool at the end of this season, although the Seasiders do hold the option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.

The Verdict

This does feel like a bid statement of intent from Blackpool to hold on Bowler amid this interest.

Given he is only on a contract until the end of this season as things stand, this would have been big money for the Seasiders to get for Bowler to reinvest in their club.

But with that not happening, you feel Blackpool must now trigger this option in the winger’s contract, to ensure they do not lose him for nothing in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, with this backing they have given manager Neil Critchley by keeping Bowler, the pressure is now on