THE TRANSFER window is due to open on Monday with Barnsley hoping for a steady stream of business throughout what is expected to be a busy summer.

The coaching staff are due to start full-time work back at Oakwell next week with the players returning the week after.

The Reds have a very thin squad in certain areas, especially up front, while there are question marks about whether they will be able to re-sign some out-of-contract players and keep hold of their star men.

The number of ‘elite significant contribution’ players, who can be signed by League One clubs from EU countries, is thought to have been increased from one to two late last week.

That is seen as a significant boost to Barnsley who will look to sign from overseas this summer.

Chief executive Jon Flatman told the Chronicle: “The ideal is to get your business done early.

“The absolute utopia would be to have that done.

“That’s not realistic at any club.

“Often, those clubs that do get their business done very early might regret some of that towards the end of the window when things have moved and the available players are very different to the start of the window.

“We want the best squad come the end of the window.

“If that means that some come in early and some come in late, then that’s what we’ll do.”

David McGoldrick is wanted by a variety of clubs having netted 18 goals in all competitions for the Reds during his one-year contract.

Barnsley are thought to have a fight on their hands to keep the veteran striker despite being in regular contact with him throughout the off-season as other clubs are also interested.

The same may be true of centre-back Eoghan O’Connell who joined the Reds in January on a short-term deal and played 26 games.

Barnsley are set to sell at least one player this window, as Flatman told the Chronicle last week, but will only sell at the ‘right price.’

He said that the ins and outs during the window may have to be done in balance with each other.

They have a valuation of winger Reyes Cleary which is a substantial multi-million pound sum thought to be similar to their biggest sales in the past of the likes of Alfie Mawson, Marc Roberts and Liam Kitching which were up to £5million.

The 22-year-old provided 22 goal contributions last season, his first in the EFL, and has three years remaining on his contract including a club option.

Flatman has also said the Reds would ‘listen to offers’ for captain Luca Connell who almost joined their League One rivals Luton Town in January and has been linked with the Hatters again this summer.

Adam Phillips, who has a year left on his contract after netting at least ten goals from midfield in his four seasons at Oakwell so far, is also thought to be of interest to other clubs.

So is Patrick Kelly, who scored for Northern Ireland against France this week, but the 21-year-old has three years left on his deal including a club option with the Reds again holding out for a substantial fee.

If McGoldrick does not re-sign, the Reds’ only striker will be 20-year-old academy graduate Leo Farrell who has never started for them, so that will be the main priority position for the window.

They are also looking to bolster their defence having conceded 99 goals last season.

Josh Earl, Mael de Gevigney and Jack Shepherd are their first team centre-backs – with Connor Barratt and Kacper Lopata still under contract after loans – while Earl and Georgie Gent are the left-back options and Corey O’Keeffe the only senior right-back.

They will also need wingers with Cleary currently backed up by Charlie Lennon, who has not started since signing in January, and Fabio Jalo who has been on loan to Oldham Athletic but made just two substitute appearances for the League Two club.

Midfield is their strongest area with Kelly, Phillips and Connell joined by academy graduates Vimal Yognathan and Jono Bland who were both involved in the first team throughout last season.