Blackpool's twenty-two year old English winger Tom Ince is reportedly en route to Milan to discuss talks over a possible transfer to Inter, the club where his father Paul spent two years in the mid-nineties. Ince had been on loan at Crystal Palace for the second half of last season and had attracted attention from clubs such as Liverpool and AS Monaco, but Inter seem to be most likely to sign the talented winger, whose contract at Blackpool ran out at the end of the season.

Ince joined Liverpool as a sixteen year old in 2008 but never made a league appearance for the Reds, and enjoyed a fruitful spell at Blackpool after joining in 2011. His performances in the 2012/13 season saw him hailed by many as one of the best young players in English football, scoring 18 and creating 14 assists in 42 Championship appearances. While his rival Wilfried Zaha was making a £10million move to Manchester United, he stayed at Blackpool under the management of his father. However, Ince Sr.'s contentious departure from the club coincided with a difficult patch for the player, who moved instead to Crystal Palace, making eight appearances and scoring on his debut against West Brom. 

Ince has described following in his father's footsteps to the Italian capital as a 'dream', adding that wherever he goes next season, 'I have got to make sure that wherever I am next season, I am a better player'. A move to Internazionale would certainly be a bold step, with the numbers of high-quality British players moving to foreign leagues still staying surprisingly low. However, Gareth Bale has shown that players can successfully make the step abroad, with Ince looking to use him as an example as he attempts to take Inter back into the Champions League. 

Inter enjoyed a much better season than neighbours AC Milan who finished in eighth, but their final position of fifth has left them out of the Champions League next season. Today's side is a far cry from that which won the competition under José Mourinho in 2010, and the recent retirement of legendary Argentine Javier Zanetti has left a noticeable hole in their side. The winger will therefore hope that he can enjoy a greater impact than his father, who scored 13 goals for the club but never won a trophy in his time away from the UK. With Blackpool finishing last season hovering above the relegation zone with trips to Oldham and Crewe looming, the San Siro would probably make a pleasant change.

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About the author
Sam France
Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor at VAVEL UK, part of the VAVEL team 2014-2018.