BARNSLEY are looking to make the final week before the new season starts their busiest of the summer so far.
The Reds begin their League One season at home to Mansfield Town in a week on the evening on August 9, with the EFL summer transfer window due to close three weeks later on the 30th.
So far this summer, they have brought in Conor Hourihane, Marc Roberts, Jackson Smith and Matthew Craig.
The Reds are hoping to bring in a left wing-back, goalkeeper and midfielder before the start of the season while up front is the other position they are looking to recruit in.
The Reds have had no natural left wing-backs in their squad for most of the summer.
Blackburn Rovers’ Georgie Gent is thought to be close to joining the Reds.
The 20-year-old, who has never made an appearance for Blackburn, spent last season on loan at Scottish Premier League club Motherwell, playing 29 league games – with 19 starts – and scoring once.
If all goes to plan, the signing could be announced today.
The Reds are looking for another goalkeeper, most likely on loan, despite already having summer signing Smith and last season’s number two Ben Killip.
They are thought to be looking at loanees from Premier League clubs, with one option understood to be Arsenal’s Karl Hein – a 22-year-old who played on loan to Reading under Reds goalkeeper coach James Bittner in 2022.
The 30-cap Estonian international played for the Gunners in a pre-season friendly in Philadelphia yesterday.
There are also other goalkeepers who the Reds are monitoring.
Meanwhile, Mansfield’s attacking midfielder Davis Keillor-Dunn is a player the Reds are interested in.
Although they have brought in Craig, who is set to play a holding role similar to Luca Connell and Jon Russell can do, and player/coach Hourihane – who is unlikely to start regularly – they are still in the market for a more attacking midfielder.
The Reds are also looking to bring in strikers.
They were planning to recruit forwards later in the window, as that is thought by the club to be when the best deals will be available for forward players.
Sam Cosgrove, who starred in the play-offs last season, and Max Watters – who was dropped from the first team squad for the second half of last season – have been starting most of the friendlies with academy products Fabio Jalo and Aiden Marsh on the bench.
But Jalo’s shoulder injury sustained in Wednesday’s friendly could rule him out for the start of the season.
A winger, for when Clarke looks to change to a 4-4-2, is also thought to be a position the Reds are looking for.
Head coach Darrell Clarke told the Chronicle: “The team and the squad is evolving.
“There will be a few out and a few in. There will definitely be a few in that’s for sure.”
He also said: “We’ve got a good group but we do need some quality players to come in to the team.
“It’s a tough division.
“We have to be ready for that and we will be.
“It’s frustrating but everyone is working hard.
“I am focusing on the players I have and the games coming up.”
Callum Styles’ future with the Reds remains unclear.
The Hungary international joined in pre-season last week after being given some extra time off having played in the Euros.
Styles – who has been with the Reds for six years but loaned out to the Championship in the last two seasons – has a year remaining on his contract which is thought to have a release clause in it for £2million.
He came off the bench in the friendly with Real Mallorca on Friday and played 45 minutes, wearing the captain’s armband, then started against Derby on Wednesday.
Clarke said: “Stylesy is a quality player. Like I say to all my players, I am not interested in what happened in the past.
“He’s come back from the Euros and done well.
“He’s a great lad, I haven’t had any problems with him. He’s played some decent football and he’s getting his match minutes up.”
Centre-back Jack Shepherd has been loaned out to League Two Bradford City for the season, having signed a new two-year deal with the Reds, with a club option for a third year.
The 23-year-old joined last summer from non-league Pontefract Collieries and made 13 appearances in all competitions before being loaned out to fellow League One club Cheltenham Town, then managed by Clarke, where he made a further 13 appearances.
Other players could be loaned out later in the window, such as Kacper Lopata who is thought to have interest in Scotland.
Meanwhile, striker Devante Cole – who left the Reds at the end of last season – has joined Championship club West Bromwich Albion.
