Opinion: Championship clubs should queue up for Barnsley man should Tykes suffer relegation

Barnsley are currently fighting for Championship survival, with the Tykes five points adrift of second-tier safety. 

Pola Asbaghi’s side have certainly upped it a gear in more recent weeks and appear to be taking the fight right to the very end. 

With eight games left to play in this Championship season, the Tykes will be hoping to complete a similarly miraculous escape as the one they completed back in the 2019/20 campaign. 

Barnsley host Reading next Saturday, with the Royals being the side they are currently looking to displace, placing so much importance on that clash at Oakwell. 

Scanning the Barnsley squad, the Tykes possess a lot of players that look too good to drop to League One level. 

Michal Helik certainly fits that description and is someone who would massively bolster the club’s chances of securing an immediate return to the second-tier, however, he is a player that will attract a lot of interest. 

A Poland international, the 26-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Tykes during a season that has not quite gone according to plan. 

Defensively speaking, Helik is a real presence in the air and is a difficult opponent to beat on the ground, possessing the intelligence required to snuff out the danger. 

He can also be a threat in the attacking third and can be difficult to contain from set-piece scenarios. 

It would be no surprise to see interest in Helik should the Tykes go down, and that is not likely to be confined to Championship football.

The fact he is a Polish international probably widens the scope when it comes to other clubs in Europe who are assessing their recruitment options ahead of next season. 

Even if Barnsley manage to ensure Championship football for another season, it would be no