Keep, sell and loan: 3 Barnsley players who could be involved in January transfer activity
Keep, sell and loan: 3 Barnsley players who could be involved in January transfer activity
It’s been a strong start to Michael Duff’s tenure as Barnsley manager, as the League One outfit currently sit in the top six.
It’s been a strong start to Michael Duff’s tenure as Barnsley manager, as the League One outfit currently sit in the top six.
The 2022/23 season started off slowly for the Tykes, as they only managed three wins from their opening eight games in League One.
Duff’s men currently have 33 points, nine behind second-place Ipswich Town with a game in hand, and the Tykes boss will be hoping his side can continue their upturn in form.
As well as the results on the pitch being important in the coming weeks, January is also on the horizon for Barnsley, and that month will prove to be important for the Yorkshire club, both from an incoming and potential outgoing perspective.
While we wait to see what Duff and his team have in store for this season, we take a look at three current Barnsley players who could be involved in January transfer activity.
Keep: Mads Anders
Barnsley’s club captain has been an ever-present for the Tykes this season, becoming an integral part of Duff’s backline.However, a run of four straight wins in the league has now seen Duff’s side move up the table and cement themselves in the top six.
Friday night’s 2-1 win over Peterborough United has seen Barnsley move up to fourth in the table, two points above Peterborough and three clear of seventh-place Derby County.
This is the 24-year-old’s fourth season at Oakwell now, and the defender is closing in on 150 appearances for the Yorkshire outfit. The Danish defender has managed to grab four goals and eight assists while playing for Barnsley.
Yet, while there has been no talk about Andersen leaving, the defender is entering the final six months of his contract at Oakwell, and with Barnsley pushing for the play-offs, it is important they keep hold of the centre-back.
Barnsley need to remain strong if any interest emerges for Andersen, and while they hope to continue on the pitch, Duff will also be hoping the board can tie Andersen up to another contract.
Sell: Jack Walton
Jack Walton is a product of Barnsley’s youth academy and has featured for the Yorkshire side on 61 occasions.
However, the goalkeeper’s playing time has significantly decreased this season as Duff has opted for Brad Collins to be Barnsley’s first-choice goalie.
Walton has spent all but one game on the bench for Barnsley in League One this season, as the 24-year-old has now become the Yorkshire side’s cup goalkeeper.
While Duff doesn’t want to lose any of his players this January, it may be a case for a player like Walton to be allowed to move on as the keeper has failed to retain his position since being Barnsley’s first choice in the 2020/21 Championship season.
Walton may be happy to be part of Barnsley’s team that is pushing for the play-offs; teams may look to bring in the goalkeeper in the winter window, and if this did happen, Barnsley should definitely consider their options.
Loan: Jasper Moon
Jasper Moon is another player who is a product of Barnsley’s youth academy, but like Walton, he is someone who is struggling to get into the Tykes’ first team.
The defender has only appeared four times in all competitions this season, with all his appearances coming in the EFL Trophy.
This season of frustration comes after last season when the defender featured 25 times in the Championship and put in some impressive displays despite Barnsley’s struggles on the pitch.
Moon is still an impressive talent and someone that Barnsley will hold in high regard, but with his limited game time this season, January may be the ideal opportunity to allow the defender to go somewhere and get regular football for the final six months of the football league season.
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