LOVE Island’s Finn Tapp and Paige Turley face having to put their romantic move to Manchester on ice – after the footballer’s club said he “has to finish” his contract.
The 20-year-old star plays for Oxford City, whose Marston ground is a drive of around four hours away from their hoped-for new home.
Finn and Paige, who won £50,000 when they were crowned the champions of Love Island, said they wanted to put the prize money down as a deposit on a house.
The pair said they had their hearts set on Manchester after co-star Callum Jones, who is a scaffolder in the city, “sold us the dream” of a move there.
Paige, who is from West Lothian in Scotland, added: “I’ve been on one night out to Manchester and I’m like, ‘I love Manchester – let’s move to Manchester!'”
However, despite Finn being loved up and with a fewfound celebrity income, Oxford City’s commercial director Mick Livesey said he was expected back at the club.
He told the BBC: “He was [in breach of his contract] but I think you need to take a pragmatic sort of view: A 20-year-old lad, he’s offered all this reality TV stuff.
“He has a contract, so he has to finish the contract he has with the football club. He’s done very, very well for us.”
He added: “We’re an ambitious football club, we’re going from strength to strength and we’re looking to build.
“This hasn’t been ideal. It is probably disruptive to the club and results.”
The Sun Online revealed in January that Finn, who is from Milton Keynes, didn’t warn the club he was about to make his reality TV debut.
A spokesman tweeted: “The club was not aware Finn Tapp was going on Love Island – this is normal protocol for all contestants. We understand and wish Finn luck on the show.”
Regarded as one of the club’s stars, he signed in 2019 following a successful trial.