WHILE the sporting focus in Barnsley this week has mainly been on this weekend’s boxing match, including preparations by staff at Oakwell to host the stadium’s biggest ever non-football event, the Reds are expected to be busier in the transfer market in the coming weeks.
It has been a sleepy summer in terms of announcements so far at Oakwell – like at most clubs with the majority in the division yet to make a signing.
But last week they handed out new contracts to youngsters Kieren Flavell and Jonathan Bland and are thought to be moving closer to announcing their first signings of the summer.
A large influx of new recruits is expected over the window, with new head coach Conor Hourihane wanting to freshen up the squad and recruit around his 4-3-3 formation.
They are expected to bring in some natural wingers while looking to strengthen in every area.
The Reds are now more than a month into their off-season, after the last League One campaign ended on May 3, and just over a fortnight away from returning for full pre-season training on June 23. The transfer window opened on Sunday but is due to shut again on Tuesday then re-open the following Monday and stay open until September 1.
They are expected to sell players this summer to offset expected losses of up to £10million next season.
The likes of Adam Phillips, who has been a star midfielder for three seasons, could leave if the right bid comes in while the Reds are determined to keep top-scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn.
Jon Russell had a very strong end to the season and could establish himself further with Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.
Winger Stephen Humphrys is yet to sign the new contract he was offered at the end of last season.
There are also a series of development players who have been offered deals.
They are strikers Kieran Graham and Luke Alker – who were on the bench for the final league game with Graham coming on for his debut – midfielder Aaron Atkinson, who missed almost all of the last season with injury, full-backs Ziggy Kozluk and Bayley McCann, whose fathers Rob and Grant both played for the Reds, and defender Tom Senior who is the only one not to have played a first team game.
