Rumour Finally Dead: Ince Offered Contract Extension

As far as inspiring transfer rumours go, Blackpool's Tom Ince to Liverpool did not set the world on fire in January. What sounded like an imminent deal at the time was later backpedaled into never having actually been that close to happening in the first place. Despite this, Ince's name kept popping up in the last few weeks, although admittedly not with the frequency it did in January.

Before the rumour could really gain much traction for a second time, though, Ince's father and recently appointed manager, Paul, announced that Ince the Younger had been offered a contract extension. Tom's contract had already been extended by a year, but the new deal will keep him at the club beyond this period in order to allow his transfer fee to appreciate in value.

"We have options on them but 12 months is not a long time, so we have offered them new deals," Ince the Elder said. "Twelve months isn't long enough, and by January they will have clubs everywhere trying to speak to them. Those two are high on our list to look at."

With Liverpool allegedly not agreeing to Blackpool's £6 million valuation of the player in January, prolonged courtship of Ince seems fairly unlikely now that his price tag is only likely to go up. The good business done by Liverpool last transfer window should be enough to stave off any tears over missing out on the player if and when he eventually graduates to the Premier League.