BLACKPOOL are in a rush to complete the transfer of Chris Basham before their season opener at Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

The newly-promoted club have been granted permission to talk to Wanderers’ 22-year-old midfielder after upping their original offer, understood to be around £400,000.

Tangerines boss Ian Holloway completed four signings yesterday after dismissing rumours that he had quit the club because of a fall-out with chairman Karl Oyston.

“Our poor fans, who have been worried sick, on websites, asking what’s happening and writing me letters – did they think that I didn’t want to (sign players)? Did they think that I haven’t been trying?,” said Holloway.

“I couldn’t try any harder and the harder you try, the more lucky you get.”

Owen Coyle is in no rush to lose the versatile Wearsider, and has also given Blackpool the option of a season-long loan.

But the Wanderers boss admits Basham has fallen behind some of the more senior midfielders in his squad.

“Bash is a smashing lad who has worked his socks off for us,” he said. “But we have to accept that he wants to play, and at the moment there are people ahead of him in the queue.

“We’ve been fair to him and fair to the club, so we’ll wait and see what happens.”

Twenty-two-year-old Basham would count towards the squad of 25 Coyle must name by the end of the transfer window.

But his sale could raise funds to bring in another player before the transfer deadline on August 31.