If Barnsley appoint Dominik Thalhammer, he must make Fabio Jalo stance clear: View | OneFootball

Fabio Jalo is one of Barnsley’s hottest prospects who has come through the academy and will be hoping he can make a big impact in the play-offs.

The Tykes managed to secure their place in the League One play-offs after a 1-1 draw at home to Northampton Town on the final day, meaning they will once again face Bolton Wanderers in the play-offs for a second year in a row, having been defeated by them in the semi-finals last year.

Barnsley made the big decision to sack manager Neill Collins last week, after a run of just two wins in their last 11 games.

This has caused plenty of rumours regarding who Collins’ replacement could be, with Austrian Dominik Thalhammer said to be the front runner at the moment to take charge at Oakwell.

Regardless of what division they find themselves in next season, if Thalhammer takes over, he needs to make his stance on Jalo clear amid a lot of reported interest.

Jalo is an 18-year-old striker and has been with Barnsley since 2020 after moving from his native Portugal at the age of 14.

He is very highly rated in the academy at Oakwell, having been named the Academy Player of the Season for the 21/22 campaign after scoring 27 goals across all competitions. He was then rewarded with his first professional deal.

Having started to play in the first team last season, his progress was rewarded in January as he was given a new contract, which expires in 2027, with the club also holding an option to extend it by another year.

The Lisbon-born striker continues to impress, and according to Fabrizio Romano, he has been attracting interest from Premier League and Serie A teams, with the Tykes also rejecting a bid from Italian side Lecce last summer.

Barnsley need to keep hold of Fabio Jalo

If Thalhammer is appointed as Barnsley boss in the coming weeks, he has to make sure that Jalo is kept at Oakwell.

Jalo is clearly a very talented striker and is not only thought of highly by Barnsley, but clubs in two of the biggest leagues in the world too.

If he starts to play regularly and show the quality he has previously shown in glimpses on a regular basis, then he could make Barnsley a lot of money in the future.

He has started to make more of an impact in recent weeks on the team, scoring his first league goal for the club in a 2-2 draw with Reading a few weeks ago, cushioning a header from a corner into his near post.

If given more chances in the future at Oakwell, Jalo could turn into a real asset for the club. Signing him to a new deal earlier this year will be pivotal in the future when it comes to selling him on.

Barnsley’s top scorer with 18 goals, Devante Cole, has his contract set to expire in the summer, and there is a chance he could leave the club. This could allow Jalo to step up and become Barnsley’s first-choice striker.

Jalo has a lot of potential, and it is important that Thalhammer - or whoever is appointed - makes the most of it.