Barnsley confirm senior player departure | OneFootball

Championship strugglers Barnsley have confirmed that forward Dominik Frieser has been released by mutual consent.

The 28-year-old arrived at Oakwell in the summer of 2020 when Gerhard Struber was still the head coach, having plied his trade in his native Austria for the whole of his career.

Operating mainly on the right or left side of a three-man forward line, Frieser scored three times and notched two assists in 42 Championship outings last season, but rarely completed 90 minutes due to Valerien Ismael’s habit of rotating his striking options.

Despite being named the club’s Player of the Month for the month of August of this season, Frieser found himself frozen out by new head coach Poya Asbaghi when the Swede arrived at the end of November.

Frieser played 57 minutes in Asbaghi’s first match in charge against Swansea but appeared in none of the following four games, with the Tykes hierarchy allowing him to pursue opportunities closer to Austria.

The Verdict

It’s a shame that Frieser’s time at Barnsley has ended this way – but it sounds like it’s best for all parties.

Frieser’s contract expired in the summer anyway and if he wasn’t in Asbaghi’s plans then it makes sense to let him move on.

He can be proud of the fact he played an important part in helping the Yorkshire side to the play-offs last season but despite having a half-decent first month of the current campaign he never really hit the same heights.

Barnsley fans will be sad to see him go but it does seem like a decision that suits everyone concerned.