DARRELL Clarke says Barnsley’s final week of the transfer window ‘better be busy’ as they look to bolster their forward line with several signings.

The EFL summer transfer window is due to close a week today on August 30 at 11pm.

The Reds – who won 2-1 at Lincoln City on Saturday and host Northampton Town tomorrow – have so far brought in seven players this summer.

Clarke said he would ‘like to think’ they would make another signing before the weekend, with a deal potentially being announced today.

Clarke told the Chronicle: “It better be a busy week. We’re hoping so.

“That’s the plan.

“Everyone understands it’s a must we get forward-thinking players in who strengthen us and give us healthy competition. We lost a lot of goals last season out of the team with Devante Cole and Herbie Kane leaving. We need high-calibre replacements.

“I want at least a couple of strikers and potentially a wide forward as well because I like to change things in games if they are not working.”

Mansfield’s Davis Keillor-Dunn and Luton Town’s Joe Taylor are understood to be among the forwards the Reds are looking at.

Mansfield’s asking price of £750,000 is thought to have been an issue while other clubs are understood to also be targeting Taylor who impressed on loan at Lincoln last season including a goal at Oakwell in March.

Meanwhile, it is unclear whether the Reds will keep hold of all their first choice players this window.

Midfielders Adam Phillips and captain Luca Connell have both been top performers and have earned admiration from clubs in higher divisions.

But they each have at least three years left on their contracts, including club options, and sporting director Mladen Sormaz has said only ‘really really massive offers’ would tempt Barnsley to sell.

Clarke told the Chronicle: “Always expect the unexpected.

‘That’s what I have learned over the 600 games I have managed.

‘The window is always interesting.

“There are lot of moving balls.

“I will deal with things when they come along.

“I certainly don’t sit here thinking that we will keep every player we want to keep because that’s not always the case.”

Phillips was rumoured to be of interest to Preston North End earlier in the window.

Clarke said: “I haven’t heard anything about that.

“Phillo is knuckling down, getting on with his football and training really well. He wants to hit the heights of last season and kick on.”

Callum Styles remains a Barnsley player. The 24-year-old is yet to play this season, with Clarke saying he has not been in the right frame of mind due to interest from other clubs.

He was close to a move to a Championship club last week, with a striker potentially coming the other way, but the deal has since collapsed.

Styles has a year remaining on his contract and the Reds seem determined not to sell him for less than their valuation.

If they do not accept a bid before the deadline, then Clarke will look to reintegrate him into the squad.

The head coach said there had been ‘a couple of bids’ for the former Bury man.

Asked if Styles could play for Barnsley in August, Clarke told the Chronicle: “Who knows? All I would say is there is a fair bit of interest and hopefully things move forward on that quicker.

“The lines of communication between me and Callum have been very very good. It’s been an ongoing saga for two or three years.

“I pride myself on managing players and communicating with players the right way. It’s been a bit unsettling for the lad. If he’s still here when the windows closes, he will be used because his application in training has been very good and he’s been professional.

“We will see how things develop.”

Clarke admits the window has not gone to plan.

“I will be a much happier man when we have the players in that we need and know where stand. We haven’t done the business we need to do but everyone is working at their max.

“It’s a real minefield. It would be better if everybody understood the complications of the deals.

“It’s not easy. I have no criticism of the way people are working and the communication. I am frustrated and so are fans.”

He told the Chronicle: “It’s frustration with an understanding. I am not having pops at anybody.

“If I was sat here and wasn’t kept in the loop and thinking ‘what the hell is going on?’ it would be very different. But I understand we’re trying to get top strikers in for now and the future.”

Barnsley could loan out players such as defender Kacper Lopata, striker Aiden Marsh and goalkeeper Jackson Smith plus potentially midfielders who are not playing regularly.