Barnsley are looking to bring in Portsmouth striker Makenzie Kirk on loan, according to reports.

The 22-year-old is someone the Reds have been tracking, the Chronicle understands, and the Portsmouth News have reported he was in South Yorkshire yesterday ahead of a possible move.

Kirk was in the academy at Scottish club Hearts when Reds boss Daniel Stendel was their manager in the 2019/20 season. Makenzie’s father Andy Kirk, a former Northern Ireland international, was on the Hearts staff at the time and served as Stendel’s assistant.

Makenzie did not break through at the Edinburgh club but, after moving to St Johnstone in 2024, netted eight goals despite them being relegated from the top flight.

He moved to Portsmouth last season for a reported £500,000 and scored once in the Championship from four starts and ten substitute appearances, barely featuring after February 7 – partly due to injuries.

Kirk has played 13 times for Northern Ireland under 21s, sometimes alongside Barnsley’s Patrick Kelly.

Barnsley currently have no strikers who have started a game in the top four tiers although academy graduate Leo Farrell is expected to play more often for the first team this season, while young forward Amani Richards is set to sign from Leicester.