Liverpool are having difficulties completing a deal for Blackpool winger Tom Ince after it emerged that the Tangerines chairman was refusing to answer the calls of Brendan Rodgers.

The Mirror has reported that Rodgers believed that the deal was on the verge of being completed, only for Blackpool's chairman, Karl Oyston, to put a spanner in the works by refusing to speak to the Liverpool boss.

Tom Ince
Tom Ince is believed to be keen in sealing a return to Liverpool [Reuters]

It is believed that Oyston is hoping to delay the sale until at least the end of the season and is using similar tactics to the one that saw Charlie Adam remain at Bloomfield Road when he wanted to leave in January 2011.

Adam eventually got his move to Liverpool six months later and there is a belief that Blackpool will look to keep hold of Ince until the end of the season as they attempt to resurrect a push for a place in the play-offs.

At one point it had seemed they would be challenging for a place in the top six but they have now slipped down to 15<sup>th in the league and there is an impression that Ince would like to make the move to Liverpool.

The Reds were hoping that they would have tied up a £7million deal for the winger by this stage in the transfer window but it seems the interest from Swansea may have changed Blackpool's stance.

There is believed to be interest from Michael Laudrup's side and this could increase the value of the 20-year-old is a bidding war is started.

Ince has been in impressive form for the Championship club and will be hoping that he can prove himself in the Premier League sooner rather than later.

He was a member of the Liverpool academy but was allowed to leave as under a different management structure he was informed that he would not be getting regular first team football.