CONOR Hourihane says Barnsley need two forwards in the January transfer window and ‘potentially’ another defender but is ‘very, very happy’ with his midfield options.

There is now less than two weeks remaining until the window opens, with the Reds hoping to strengthen in their attacking areas having missed out on forwards such as former player John McAtee late in the summer window.

Their current strikers are League One top-scorer Davis Keillor-Dunn veteran David McGoldrick, who has not scored in 12 league games since August, and teenager Leo Farrell who is yet to make his league debut.

Patrick Kelly and Reyes Cleary are regulars in attacking midfield, with Fabio Jalo returning from injury, but back-ups such as Neil Farrugia, Jon Russell and Caylan Vickers have barely started in the league in recent months.

Hourihane told the Chronicle: “Fabs will help for sure. He knows I think he’s really exciting.

“He’s pretty much done in terms of 21s games and he will be with us consistently which is a big help.

“But I still think we need a couple of attackers, for sure, over the window.

“With the amount of games we have and how aggressive we are in and out of possession, the load will be really difficult for players to start every game.

“We need a couple to help with that.”

As for central midfield, academy product Jono Bland and captain Luca Connell have often played there but more attacking midfielders such as Adam Phillips and Vimal Yoganathan have had to fill in when needed.

Hourihane told the Chronicle: “I am very, very happy with the midfielders we’ve got.

“We have a brilliant array of players, some young and some a little bit older.

“I have been really happy with Phillo in the six (defensive midfield). It hinders him only playing in an attacking role.

“His distribution has been top and he can crank it up even more because of how intelligent and how technically good he is. I am happy with Phillo and all the rest in that area.”

Barnsley have conceded 46 goals in all competitions this season and kept just two league clean sheets.

Asked if he wanted new defenders in January, Hourihane said: “Potentially. It will come down to ins and outs.

“When everyone is fit, we have plenty of defenders.

“My big thing is getting a decent number of players in all areas.”

The Reds are eighth in League One, with 28 points from 17 games – four points off the top six with games in hand on those around them.

They won 3-2 at home to Leyton Orient last weekend and are now due to make the long trip down to Exeter City on Saturday. That is the first of five games in a fortnight.

Hourihane told the Chronicle: “We have our targets. We’ve had discussions around it. We will see what happens.

“Like any window there will be some ins and some outs.

“If we get momentum going in these games, no matter who we bring in they are coming into the group in a really good place and will fit in a little bit easier.

“If we are more inconsistent than I would like, people are coming into the building and that’ll make people be on their toes a bit more.”

Some of the players who have not played regularly under Hourihane are expected to move on in the window and replaced.

“Whenever you get people who aren’t playing as much, they want to leave and then you bring people in. That’s just the cycle that we’re in.”

Hourihane hinted Barnsley could send some of their four loan players back to their parent clubs.

While goalkeeper Murphy Cooper has been an ever-present, forward Vickers has not started the last six league games or left-back Nathanael Ogbeta the last five, due to illness and injury, while centre-back Jake Rooney has only made one league appearance in total.

“That’s ongoing. There may be chopping and changing. There is still time to figure it out. It may be something that may change.”

Midfielder Jon Russell, who is out of contract in the summer, has not started in the league this season but scored off the bench on Saturday.

“With Jon, he’s looking for more gametime more regularly.

“He’s at the age where he wants to play all the time.

“Jon was very effective last year in the ten games I had but, this year, he’s found it a little bit more difficult to get in the team.

“In the last couple of games, he’s done extremely well and he will play a big part over the Christmas period because he’s a valuable member of the squad.

“We will see what happens in January.

“If he is here at the end of it, brilliant if something else happens, we will take action on that.

“He’s coming to the end of his contract and it’s always a funny time.”