Middlesbrough defender Hayden Coulson playing his way towards permanent Blackpool transfer

Hayden Coulson could be playing his way to a permanent Middlesbrough exit this summer, with Blackpool manager Neil Critchley admitting there will be conversations with parent clubs on loan players in the weeks ahead.

Coulson has made a positive impression with the Tangerines since joining on loan in January, establishing himself as a regular at left-back in a side that had to that point used three different players in the role. The Blackpool Gazette have described Coulson as making a really positive impact in his time at Bloomfield Road.

It follows a frustrating first half to the season in which, having failed to do enough to impress Michael Carrick after returning last summer with a new two-year contract, the 25-year-old was rarely used after the first weekend of the season, with Lukas Engel and Alex Bangura both signed in the summer window, and Luke Thomas in January.

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Asked about the futures of their loan players, Critchley told the Blackpool Gazette: "They’ve made a huge difference [the loanees]. Hayden has been fantastic. That’s the discussions we’ve been having [can they sign them permanently in the summer], we’re always planning ahead.

"With loan players, their parent clubs have something to say, and when they play well, you get interest from elsewhere. They’re not our players so it’s out of our hands. They’ve all contributed and shown their value to the club. They’ve also shown what good people they are and how much they’ve enjoyed playing here, so it’s definitely something we will look at when the season ends.”

Coulson is hoping he has not yet played his final game at Bloomfield Road. Away to Reading on Saturday in the final day of the regular League One season, Blackpool currently sit eighth, just one point outside the play-off places.

Future discussions will naturally wait until such matters in the league are decided, with Boro likely to be open to the sale this summer. While by no means likely to be a substantial sum, it will still go down as operating profit for Boro whatever they make given he was an academy graduate, which is a boost having almost released him on a free last summer.