With eight players arriving at Bloomfield Road during the 2025 Blackpool transfer window, Steve Bruce and his team are clearly looking to compete at the top end of League One this season.
With the sale of Rob Apter to Charlton for a reported fee of around £2,000,000, The Tangerines still have a lot of resources heading into the season and will be able to even further strengthen the squad.
This article will look at each signing confirmed by the club so far, with a grading from A*-F. Let me know which signing is your favourite so far.
Franco Ravizzoli – A
Having been an important part of Wycombe Wanderers’ play-offs campaign last season, the Argentine ‘keeper signed on a free transfer at Bloomfield Road, likely becoming their new number 1.
After 27 appearances in League One last season, Ravizzoli finished with a 72% save percentage (Yes, seventy-two!) with nine clean sheets and 2.25 goals prevented. Ranked third best in the league for goals conceded per 90, (0.9) it is clear that this is a strong pickup by Steve Bruce. A very strong start.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell – C
Completing the new goalkeeping department at Bloomfield Road, despite a poor season at Birmingham, BPF joins on a season-long loan and will be more than determined to get back to the ability he had shown in recent years and challenge for Ravizzoli’s number one spot.
An experienced EFL ‘keeper with clubs such as Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley on his CV, the 28-year-old hold 48 caps for Northern Ireland from 2018-2024 and performed well during a one-year stint at AGF in Denmark. Whilst it may be tough, Bruce believes he can get the best back out of the young man who will have a lot to prove during his loan spell.
Danny Imray – B
After an impressive season on loan with League Two side Bromley, the 21-year-old wing-back has stepped up a league in yet another loan move from Crystal Palace. In his first season of professional football, Imray recorded two goals and seven assists as Andy Woodman’s side finished comfortably mid table in their first ever EFL season.
Imray played as a Right Wing-Back for the majority of the season, but can play anywhere on the right-hand side, with lots of attacking and defensive qualities shown throughout his early career.
Imray was subject to a £750,000 bid from Wycombe Wanderers in January which was turned down by Crystal Palace, with Bolton and Huddersfield trying but failing to get his signature in this summer window.
The step up definitely puts big expectations on Imray but is something I feel he can live up to, making him a good option to replace the outgoing loanee Odel Offiah at right-back.
Fraser Horsfall – A
After a three-season-spell at Stockport County, the 28-year-old centre-back has signed a four-year-deal with the Seasiders adding experience, defensive quality and ariel threat to Bruce’s backline. With over 200 EFL appearances under his hat, Horsfall impressed at Northampton Town and Stockport County with his composed yet firm playstyle.
After an excellent season at Stockport, which was the last season of his contract with the Hatters, Horsfall was in demand from clubs at the top end of League One and the lower end of the Championship. Blackpool fans will feel excited with what he can bring to the backline as a player and a leader.
Michael Ihiekwe – A*
After the 32-year-olds contract at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday expired, many clubs raced for the signature of the experienced center-back, but it was Blackpool yet again who beat the crowd to sign the former Rotherham man, signing a three-year-deal.
Having spent three seasons at Hillsborough, Ihiekwe played an important part of the Sheffield Wednesday side that solidified themself as a championship club after League One promotion in the 2022/2023 season.
This was the fourth time that Ihiekwe won League One promotion, having done so three times previously with Rotherham, making 131 appearances and scoring six goals across the four league campaigns.
Jordan Brown – B
Another lengthy contract at Bloomfield Road as the 24-year-old defensive-midfielder signs a 4-Year deal with The Tangerines, for a reported fee of £400,000. After 4 seasons and 153 appearances at Leyton Orient, Blackpool made Jordan their sixth summer signing, including a 12-month extension option in his deal.
His final appearance for Leyton Orient came in the League One Play-Off final at Wembley, where the O’s lost 1-0 to Charlton. Brown previously made 34 appearances in Orients League Two winning side during the 2022/2023 season.
His ability on and off the ball will give Blackpool a solid spine in the midfield, as well as increasing speed through transitions which Steve Bruce lacked towards the back end of last season.
George Honeyman – A
Despite reported Championship interest for the Attacking-Midfielder, the 30-year-old chose Blackpool as his destination following the expiration of his contract at Millwall. Honeyman signs a two-year-deal which the club hold the option to extend by 12-months.
Honeyman made nearly 100 appearances for Sunderland, captaining them at just 23-years-old, and has since been a consistent part of teams at Hull and Millwall. He made the 2020/2021 League One Team of the Season with 13 assists and four goals in Hull’s title winning campaign.
The new man adds experience, goal threat, creativity and a good option from set pieces to Bruce’s midfield and lengthens the list of players who turned down offers from higher levels to play in Tangerine and White.
Niall Ennis – B
Ennis joined The Seasiders originally on loan in January and quickly impressed O’s fans. Scoring on his debut at home to Charlton, Ennis went on to get seven goals and two assists in his 19 appearances, picking up the Sky Bet League One February Player of the Month award in doing so.
At just 26, Ennis already has a strong pedigree in League One, playing for Plymouth, Doncaster and Burton in the English third tier, as well as experience in the Championship with Stoke and Blackburn.
The pacey attacker will hope to build on his form from last season to push the Seasiders up the League One table, helping Bruce in his aim of promotion to the Championship where Blackpool spent lots of time throughout the 2010’s and early 2020’s.
With the start of the League One season just over a week away, Blackpool are clearly in a strong position under head coach Steve Bruce, whose reputation within the game has allowed them to pull in some incredible League One talents.
Where do you think Blackpool will finish the season? Let me know in the comments.
