Irish top-tier side Shamrock Rovers are keen to raise a fee close to £500,000 for the services of Andy Lyons, according to this morning's update from the Blackpool Gazette.

Blackpool have launched multiple bids in their quest to lure the 21-year-old to Bloomfield Road, with their first offer of £100,000 being rejected by Rovers' officials in the Republic of Ireland.

Since then, the Seasiders have reportedly doubled their offer to try and get a deal over the line, with Michael Appleton's side in desperate need of addressing their right-back spot before the start of the season.

Dujon Sterling returned to Chelsea on the expiration of his loan spell in Lancashire at the end of last season, leaving the club with one less option in this position, though Jordan Gabriel is also able to come in and do a job there after sealing a permanent move away from Nottingham Forest last summer.

However, an injury setback for the ex-Forest defender means he's likely to miss the start of the season and this has left the Seasiders facing a real crisis in this area with less than two weeks to go until the new campaign starts.

This means they are in desperate need of Lyons to arrive imminently, though the two sides seem to be apart in their valuation of the player following this latest update.

The Verdict:

You have to feel for the Seasiders a bit - because their current situation isn't totally their fault - with Neil Critchley's departure throwing their summer transfer plans into real doubt.

In normal circumstances, the two parties would probably try and negotiate the best possible deal for themselves before striking an agreement but it's Shamrock Rovers that are probably in the more powerful position knowing how desperate the English side are to bring in another player in this area.

They may not even be able to loan anyone in quickly, with many Premier League sides keen to run the rule over their youngsters during the pre-season period before deciding whether they should be in the first team or not.

And at this point, Lyons seems like the most likely addition if they can strike an agreement for him, though you can understand why Lyons' current side would want to hold on to him as one of their most important assets.

After losing Danny Mandroiu to Lincoln City, the Irish outfit will be wanting to show ambition by keeping hold of Lyons, though it could prove to be a tricky task if the player pushes for a move.