Barnsley transfer revelation emerges after mixed January transfer window

Barnsley CEO Khaled El-Ahmad has admitted the club were rejected by a defensive midfielder on January transfer deadline day this year, speaking openly to the Yorkshire Post.

The Tykes were in desperate need of more additions during the winter window as they looked to revive their season, failing to gain any form of new manager bounce under Poya Asbaghi and were lacking in options across the pitch.

Although Markus Schopp’s appointment didn’t work out, there have been other factors in their sharp decline following a play-off finish last season and one that has to be considered is their recruitment.

Not only did the South Yorkshire outfit lose manager Valerien Ismael in the summer, but also captain Alex Mowatt and striker Daryl Dike, both of whom were regular goal contributors during the 2020/21 campaign.

They did dip into the transfer market to try and strengthen their side ahead of this season, but the signings of Devante Cole and Obbi Oulare have proved to be unsuccessful so far, with Aaron Leya Iseka not being able to get in and amongst the goals as often as he would like either.

And with the likes of Josh Benson and Claudio Gomes failing to replace Mowatt’s firepower, both of whom also joined last summer with the latter arriving on a loan spell, their goalscoring record has been poor this term.

Recording just 29 goals in 39 league matches, they are on course for the drop at this stage, though it was a defensive midfielder they were seeking on deadline day during the last season, a move they failed to pull off.

That’s according to El-Ahmad, who said: “We tried. We identified attacking positions and a defensive midfielder with leadership traits.

“It doesn’t have to be experience but more the type of player and the