Barnsley submit loan offer for Bolton Wanderers star John McAtee | OneFootball

The 26-year-old scored 11 goals in League One for the Trotters last season.

Barnsley have submitted an offer to sign forward John McAtee on loan from League One rivals Bolton Wanderers.

McAtee featured in each of Bolton's opening four League One fixtures this season, although he has not been named in the squad by Steven Schumacher for either of the last two matchdays.

Conor Hourihane could add to his attacking options by taking McAtee on loan for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign, and he will be fully aware of what the forward is capable of as he netted a late equaliser for Bolton after coming off the bench at Oakwell last month.

John McAtee could be set for Barnsley return

Soccer Football - League One - Play Off - Semi Final - Second Leg - Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley - Toughsheet Community Stadium, Bolton, Britain - May 7, 2024 Bolton Wanderers' Ricardo Almeida Santos in action with Barnsley's John Mcatee Action Images/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR

The Tykes have made a bid to sign the 26-year-old on a season-long loan ahead of tonight's transfer deadline, as per The Bolton News.

McAtee is no stranger to Barnsley, having spent the 2023/24 season on loan there from then Premier League side Luton Town.

He scored 15 goals and provided four assists for the Tykes in all competitions over the course of that season, before Bolton signed him on a permanent basis for £1 million last summer.

The former Grimsby Town man made it clear that he wanted to play as an attacking midfielder for Bolton this season, having spent the majority of the 2024/25 campaign up front, so it remains to be seen where he will fit into Hourihane's plans if he does make a temporary switch to Barnsley.

The Tykes have made a strong start to the new League One season, with four wins and a draw from their opening six games, and adding McAtee to their ranks could further improve their chances of winning promotion back to the Championship.

The likes of Davis Keillor-Dunn, David McGoldrick and Caylan Vickers have impressed for Barnsley in forward areas so far this season, so bringing in McAtee on loan would provide Hourihane with added strength in depth.

Steven Schumacher wants to keep John McAtee at Bolton

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher insisted that McAtee still has a future at the club despite being left out of the squad against Lincoln City and Blackpool, as per The Bolton News, so there is no guarantee that Barnsley's loan offer will be accepted.

“John is a good player and the club spent a lot of money on him last summer for that reason. He scored goals the season before," Schumacher said.

“He scored goals for us last year too. I've had a couple of conversations with him already.

“I have told him that he has just got to keep his head down and keep going because at the moment, with the way the squad is, and it's strong and everyone's fit, he's just finding himself out at the starting XI and out of the squad the last two games.

“All players want to play every single minute but it's just not possible. We are going to need all of the squad, because we will have injuries, we will have suspensions, we will have dips in form, and we are going to need everyone. So, yes, John is still our player.”

It will be interesting to see whether Bolton keep hold of McAtee now that Barnsley have submitted an offer to sign him on loan, especially considering the player could be tempted by a return to Oakwell having been left out by Schumacher in recent weeks.