THERE is now a fortnight remaining until Barnsley make the long trip down to Plymouth to start their new season.

They have signed four players in the last four weeks, after a slow start to the summer window.

Three of them have performed well at League One level in the past – and higher in the case of veteran David McGoldrick – while Reyes Cleary is an exciting unknown quantity.

They are hoping to add to that number before the season starts and it promises to a busy final six weeks of the window at Oakwell. The loaning out of Corey O'Keeffe and Max Watters on Friday might be paving the way for new faces.

There are certain elements head coach Conor Hourihane can control and make improvements on away from the transfer market.

There has been a real focus on fitness this summer, using the borough’s facilities with gruelling runs in Dearne Valley Country Park, track sessions at Dorothy Hyman Stadium and swimming at the Metrodome.

There is a general consensus that the squad was not fit enough last season which is partly why they conceded so many goals in the final half an hour of games – along with a lack of resilience, game management, squad depth and good substitutions.

There is little doubt that Hourihane has the buy-in from the playing squad to improve all of that.

They can also work on defensive organisation, vanquishing the home hoodoo which has seen them take just 30 points from their last 29 league games at Oakwell, and having a more coherent and entertaining gameplan.

If they make progress in all those areas, then they will slowly improve as a team and begin to rebuild the connection with the fans – especially with such a legendary character in charge. But of course Hourihane cannot do it alone. He needs those working above and around him, especially in recruitment, to make the right decisions.

There are still plenty of question marks over which players will be sold this summer and how much quality can be brought in.

WINGERS NEEDED TO PLAY HOURIHANE’S STYLE

The obvious area in which the Reds need to recruit is wingers.

Conor Hourihane has placed a lot of emphasis on wanting to play with explosive exciting wide players who can beat defenders, get crosses into the box and get the crowd on their feet.

It is a major part of his wider plan to get the Reds playing more enjoyable football and what he believes is the Barnsley way.

Hourihane is expected to use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation in the upcoming season, having seemingly moved on from the 3-5-2 of the previous three campaigns.

Because the Reds have been so used to playing with and recruiting for the wing-back system, they have very few natural wingers.

That is exacerbated by Fabio Jalo’s injury – he has been wearing a leg brace while watching pre-season friendlies and is expected to miss the start of the campaign – as well as Stephen Humphrys’ move to Bradford City.

Those two had provided a fleeting glimpse of what Hourihane wanted his side to look like towards the end of last season.

The Reds have brought in left winger Reyes Cleary who is very highly-rated within the club but, aged 21 with no starts in the EFL, he is obviously raw.

Their other current options are real youngsters or players who have been wing-backs previously such as Neil Farrugia and Kyran Lofthouse.

Farrugia, previously a left wing-back, has been the main starter on the right wing in pre-season and scored a fantastic goal in a friendly at Emley AFC.

Davis Keillor-Dunn could also play there but has had a lot of joy as a striker or attacking midfielder.

Surely they need two, maybe three, natural wide players to come in before the transfer deadline to strengthen that department.

QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT UNBALANCED REDS SQUAD

Up front, the Reds still have star man Davis Keillor-Dunn as well as new signing David McGoldrick.

The 37-year-old’s arrival last week was an opinion-splitting signing but, as long as he does not suddenly reach that point in every player’s career when his body does not work for him anymore, the former Premier League striker will add much-needed experience plus a proven goal-scoring record with 180 in his career.

A striker who netted 17 goals in League Two last season must surely be a decent addition for a side who finished in mid-table in League One.

In the big moments, he has the nouse and pedigree to step up plus he never relied on pace so does not have that to lose.

Central midfield is an area with quality and quantity. There has been interest in all of Luca Connell, Adam Phillips and Jon Russell from other clubs this summer, while Kelechi Nwakali’s future is also unclear after barely featuring towards the end of last season and, following a family matter in Nigeria, in pre-season so far.

It feels unlikely that all four of them will still be at the club come September 2, while the other options are highly-rated teenagers Vimal Yoganathan and Jono Bland.

As for centre-backs, Barnsley are thought to be looking at recruiting in that position despite already having five to fit into just two roles.

It would be surprising if, having kept just six league sheets in the league last season and conceded 90 goals in all competitions, they did not bring in a new centre-back – although the return of Jack Shepherd from loan and the coaching of Richard Keogh may also help.

At right-back, previous centre-back Mael de Gevigney has been first choice all summer after midfielder Bland filled in at the end of last season.

A new recruit there is needed.

At left-back, they have new signing Nathanael Ogbeta plus Georgie Gent – who is expected to miss the start of the season due to injury – while Josh Earl could move over from centre-back to cover.

SALES STILL LIKELY BUT REDS WANT THEIR VALUATIONS

Barnsley went into this summer looking certain to sell at least one of their starting 11, if not multiple.

Chairman Neerav Parekh said they would need to do so to balance the books and revert to the usual model of most clubs at this level, after several windows of turning down offers to keep together promotion-chasing sides.

Some of the money could also be put towards transfer fees for replacement signings.

Sales are still thought to be likely but, at the moment, all those players are preparing for the new season under Conor Hourihane and the Reds are mainly looking at free transfers.

The obvious question is: will they lower their valuation towards the end of the window to bring in much-needed funds if no bids have hit the acceptable level?

For now, they seem comfortable with their plan and the players are settled by all accounts.

The Reds have turned down several bids for Luca Connell from Wycombe which are well under their valuation.

It might be a situation in which the Reds, with him captain and contracted for three more years, have a price in mind which – given his difficult last two seasons – no club is likely to pay this summer.

That may not be a bad thing for anyone as surely the best scenario is for Connell to get back to being a dominant defensive midfielder he was in 2022/23 and have a really strong season under Hourihane.

If we are being brutally honest, he has not played like a £1million player since the play-off final loss in 2023 and following illness, which understandably had an impact, while he has been playing in worse Barnsley teams and been experimented with in attacking roles which did not suit him.

As for Davis Keillor-Dunn, Barnsley are understood to be currently only willing to listen for offers in a similar region to the club record sales of Alfie Mawson and Marc Roberts which were about £5million. That is putting off a lot of suitors, as it is a very high fee for a 27-year-old who has never played above the third tier before. But the idea of this Barnsley side without the outstanding DKD will cause many fans to shudder, so the club are surely right to demand a massive fee for him.

We have seen before, with Liam Kitching for example, the club be worn down by bid after bid after bid all summer and eventually accept one that is close to their asking price on deadline day. The difference this time is that Keillor-Dunn has shown no sign of trying to force through a move and appears fully committed to the Reds.

Adam Phillips has two years left on his contract, at 27, and has consistently been around double figures for goals and assists in his three seasons with the Reds. Again the club will have a valuation but it is a question of whether it will be met.

Jon Russell has also joined the list of Barnsley players clubs are interested in, after an impressive 2025 with the Reds and Jamaica while he is now in the final year of his contract so a sale for the right price could make sense if there is no chance of a new deal.