OLIVER Wilkinson, the England under 16s captain and the youngest player to start a game for Barnsley, looks set to leave the club this summer, the Chronicle understands.

The 16-year-old defender is considered one of the best prospects to come out of the Reds academy in recent years and has previously been monitored by some of the top clubs in the Premier League.

It is understood he has not started his under 18s scholarship with the Reds and is looking to move elsewhere but has not signed with another club as of yet.

Barnsley would be entitled to a significant tribunal payment from any club who signs him, due to him being with the Reds for seven years and his international honours.

Wilkinson also made history for the Reds last August when he started their EFL Trophy game against Manchester United under 21s at the age of 15 – becoming their youngest ever starter.

He then spent the rest of the season playing for the youth teams and captaining England under 16s on multiple occasions before suffering an injury.

Academy manager Bobby Hassell said: “I did everything we could to convince him to stay.

“My connection to the England coaching staff got him his initial call-up and unfortunately outside influences have convinced him his best option are outside of Barnsley.

“We wish him well as a club but want players to want to represent this great club. The academy staff have worked extremely hard with the player since age nine and hope he goes on to fulfil his potential.”

Meanwhile, there is now less than a month remaining until the start of the new season, with Barnsley set to visit Plymouth Argyle on August 2, while the transfer window is due to close in just under two months on September 1.

Having signed Murphy Cooper and Nathanael Ogbeta on loan last week, this week they made young forward Reyes Cleary their first permanent signing. Cleary had been offered a contract by previous club West Bromwich Albion so the Reds will have to pay a comparatively modest compensation sum.

They are thought to be close to a couple more deals, which could be completed in the next week.

But, as outlined in last week’s Chronicle, the Reds are likely to have to free up space for signings by moving on players. That does not necessarily mean the deals will alternate between an in and an out from now on, but there is expected to be a balance of both in the coming weeks.

The Reds have reportedly rejected a bid of less than a million for captain Luca Connell from fellow League One Wycombe Wanderers.

The Buckinghamshire club, thought to have one of the biggest budgets in League One, are expected to come back in with another bid.

There is thought to have been plenty of interest and approaches about Connell, Adam Phillips, Davis Keillor-Dunn and Jon Russell throughout the summer but no bids which come close to the Reds’ valuation.

Barnsley are understood to currently want at least £5million for last season’s top-scorer Keillor-Dunn, with interest from several clubs.

Midfielder Russell – who is due to return to training at Oakwell later this month after playing for Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup – has been linked with various Championship clubs as he enters the final year of his contract with the Reds.