Barnsley have been pursuing several strikers on deadline day, as Davis Keillor-Dunn and Reyes Cleary continue to be linked with moves away.
The former Mansfield Town man is expected to complete his transfer to Championship side Wrexham today. But the Tykes are believed to have increased their valuation of Cleary to a staggering £8m, in an attempt to fend off interest for one of their star players.
Replacements are therefore a necessity for the South Yorkshire outfit, and a former teammate of the Reds Head Coach, Conor Hourihane, has been linked.
Adam Oxley of BBC Radio Sheffield has reported that out-of-favour Oxford United striker Tom Bradshaw is the latest name on Barnsley’s transfer list today.
But he isn’t the only forward who has been of interest to the Tykes. York City forward Josh Stones was another potential incoming, though such claims were quickly dismissed by the co-chairman of the National League outfit, Matt Uggla, who is well-known for his presence on social media.
A loan offer for John McAtee of Bolton Wanderers has been rejected, after a move last summer for the former Tykes loanee broke down. And another former Barnsley man, Jacob Brown, was also touted with a return to Oakwell earlier today. That wasn’t the only potential transfer between Luton Town and the South Yorkshire outfit, with Tykes captain Luca Connell linked with a move in the other direction.
Both those claims have now been dismissed. It still leaves Barnsley looking for a striker, with less than five hours of the window remaining.
Barnsley Searching For Former Player?
So, the latest and most likely addition to Barnsley’s forward line appears to be Bradshaw. Lots can happen on deadline day and this is likely to be a fast-moving story as the 7 pm deadline creeps closer. It is a move unlikely to instil confidence in Tykes supporters, who have become increasingly frustrated at the club’s board in recent times.
After two impressive seasons at Walsall over a decade ago, Barnsley swooped to secure the 33-year-old, following their Play-Off success that included a Semi-Final victory over the Saddlers. After scoring eight times in his debut year, Bradshaw’s 12 efforts the following campaign couldn’t prevent the Tykes from dropping back into the third tier.
And after a handful of League One appearances, he moved to the capital with Millwall. Bradshaw has enjoyed some impressive seasons with the Lions, bagging 17 times in the 22/23 campaign. But after his gametime became limited at The Den, he joined Oxford United last January. Unfortunately, the Shrewsbury-born striker has been unable to kick on at the Kassam Stadium, playing just 18 times across all competitions in the last 12 months.
Last scoring a professional goal in August 2024 for Millwall, this is hardly the sort of form that would inspire Barnsley to a successful second half of the season. But Hourihane previously played alongside Bradshaw in South Yorkshire, so they will be hoping that the Reds boss can get the best out of his former teammate, if a deal is completed.