BARNSLEY are due to return to full pre-season training on Monday but it is unclear if they will be joined by new signings or Stephen Humphrys.
The Reds were yet to make a signing this summer, as of yesterday, but had hoped to add to their squad before Conor Hourihane began his first pre-season as head coach next week.
The new season starts in six weeks while the transfer window, which opened at the start of June, briefly closed from Tuesday last week until Monday of this week, but is now due to stay open until Monday, September 1.
Other than the summer of 2020, when the season start was delayed significantly due to the Covid-19 lockdown, this is the longest into an off-season Barnsley have waited to sign a player since 2018 when they brought in Kenny Dougall in late July before getting promoted.
They have been linked by West London Sport with a loan move for QPR goalkeeper Murphy Cooper, 23, who kept 16 clean sheets in League One last season when on loan to Stevenage.
The Reds are thought to be mainly looking at the stronger-than-usual free agent market, and loan deals, while it is unlikely they will be able to sign many players for transfer fees from other clubs unless they sell some of their star men this summer.
There is understood to have been interest recently in Davis Keillor-Dunn from Championship clubs Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough – where he spent time as a junior player in their academy. But, as of earlier this week, there had been no bids as Barnsley are understood to be currently asking for a multi-million pound offer in a similar region to their highest ever sales such as £5million for the likes of Alfie Mawson and Marc Roberts.
There is more uncertainty about the future of Humphrys.
The 27-year-old signed last summer and scored nine goals for the Reds last season including five in five under Hourihane at the end of the season as a winger having struggled up front under previous head coach Darrell Clarke.
Talks are thought to have been ongoing throughout the off-season between Humphrys’ representatives and the club.
The option in Humphrys’ contract was originally reported as a club option – so the Reds could choose whether to add another year – but it is understood it was dependent on various conditions being met throughout the season which were not, so the two parties went into a negotiation over a new deal.
He is thought to have other options and has been linked with MK Dons.
Last summer, Humphrys was out of contract at Wigan then looked at various other options – including one in the Championship which fell through – before joining the Reds on transfer deadline day.
Barnsley are also yet to announce a goalkeeper coach and head of performance to add to Hourihane’s new-look coaching staff which includes first team coaches Richard Keogh and Tom Harban.
One candidate for the goalkeeper coach role is thought to be Scott Flinders. The 39-year-old came through the Barnsley youth system before leaving in 2006 and was at Mansfield last season.
Connor Barratt, the 21-year-old defender, is thought to have agreed a new contract but it is yet to be announced.
Also offered new deals at the end of last season were teenagers Luke Alker, Aaron Atkinson, Kieran Graham, Ziggy Kozluk, Bayley McCann and Tom Senior. The majority, if not all, are thought to be likely to stay at the club.
