BLACKPOOL boss, Steve McMahon is lining up long-term loan deals as well as permanent signings as he builds up to the new season.

McMahon retains his interest in Everton's England under-21 ace, Peter Clarke, but will have to wait until the pre-season before finding out whether he can secure a deal for the player.

But deals are already in the pipeline for two other young players, it was revealed this week.

Meanwhile, another young premiership ace, Lee Roche, is unlikely to join Blackpool. He had talks with McMahon earlier in the summer and hopes were high that he would snub interest from Premiership and first division teams to join the Seasiders.

However, he looks set to join Burnley or Bradford instead.

McMahon has also admitted his interest in his former Manchester City team-mate, Mike Sheron (pictured), who has been released by Barnsley, and former loan players, Leam Richardson and Colin Hendry, both released by Bolton.

Blackpool have yet to reveal the identity of the mystery man who came so close to signing last week. The player is believed to have outstanding issues with his former club, which lead to a press conference last Thursday being called off at the eleventh hour.

The club now says his identity may not be revealed until the end of the month, but insist the deal is still on.

McMahon has also ruled out an interest in another player who has been at the centre of transfer speculation, Bury's Jon Newby.

Meanwhile, Blackpool finally said goodbye to John Hills this week. The left-sided mdifielder or left back completed his long anticipated move to Gillingham on Wednesday.

Having joined the Seasiders as a schoolboy, Hills was transferred to Everton in 1995 in a shock deal which came before he had made the first team.

After failing to break in to Joe Royle's side at Goodison Park, Hills returned to Blackpool, initially on loan, before signing permanently in February 1998.

Since then, he has started 167 games, scoring 20 goals, many from the penalty spot. His spell at Blackpool has seen relegation followed by promotion and the LDV vans trophy victory, as well as a superbly taken goal at Charlton Athletic which saw the Seasiders threaten to overcome a Premiership side on their home turf.

He scooped every player of the year award in 2002 and has always been a fan's favourite at Bloomfield Road, despite some long-standing injury problems which restricted his appearances.

The football league releases its fixtire list next Thursday, June 19.