BARNSLEY began their summer recruitment this week and are hoping for more signings over the coming days, alongside an intense start to pre-season.
The Reds have brought in goalkeeper Murphy Cooper and left-back Nathanael Ogbeta both on loan, from QPR and Plymouth Argyle respectively.
They were thought to be closing in on other signings, as of yesterday afternoon, with deals possible either late this week or next week – although none were understood to be definite.
They may move on players to facilitate the incomings, most likely fringe members of the squad with no official bids made for the likes of Davis Keillor-Dunn or Jon Russell as of yesterday, the Chronicle understands.
Top-scorer Keillor-Dunn is of interest to various clubs but Barnsley’s valuation is currently understood to be more than £5million.
Russell, who has been playing for Jamaica at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, has been linked with several Championship clubs this week.
The Reds are looking for wingers with Hourihane switching to 4-3-3 while Stephen Humphrys left for Bradford City and Fabio Jalo is injured.
They are thought to be interested in Josh Koroma, who left Huddersfield Town this summer, along with several other clubs.
A right-sided centre-back is also another position they are looking at, having been interested in Paudie O’Connor who moved to Reading having been at Lincoln City.
There are five weeks until the season starts on the weekend of August 1-3, and nine under the transfer window closes on September 1.
The squad returned to full training this week. They were not joined by Kelechi Nwakali who is understood to have stayed in his native Nigeria while dealing with a family matter.
Max Watters had food poisoning earlier in the week.
Youngster Jono Bland talked about 6am starts and having to nap after training. He told the Chronicle: “It’s been a lot, to be honest.
“There’s been a lot of long hours and long runs but also a lot of on-pitch stuff that’s to do with shape work or high intensity. That’s what he’s pushing for – how high we can get our intensity and energy levels.
“A lot of it has been on the pitch but that’s often what takes it out of you more than continuous running.
“I spoke to Con when he first came in as a player and he was saying about how his whole career was about hard work.
“He’s clearly very talented but he worked so hard to get to that level.
“And he’s taken that into what he does as a coach, realising that what you need to get out of this league is hard work.
“Everyone can play football, everyone is capable, but it’s to do with how hard you work out of possession and how good you are defensively that gets you out of this league and that’s what he’s pushing for.”
Full-back Barry Cotter added: “There’s no such thing as an easy pre-season.
“It’s quite constructive which we’re pleased with.
“Conor’s trying to drill good habits into us early so it’s been a good start.
“We’re trying to get back to our intensity and our identity of being hard to beat, getting in people’s faces.
“We want to make it a really tough game. It’s good.”
Hourihane spoke to Barnsley fans at an event for the announcement of next season’s fixtures yesterday.
He said: “Pre-season has been great.
“The lads are going about it in the right way which is always pleasing.
“It’s still a few weeks until the first game but it’s good to get things underway. There is a lot of work to do to get the lads ready for the first game of the season.
“There has been a lot of hard work for the lads. I am clear on how I want to play in terms of intensity.
“Every day is really important, I make a big point to the lads to turn up in the right mental state each morning.
“I am big on the work ethic of players and playing exciting football which I think we did towards the end of last season.”
