Significant Barnsley, Herbie Kane update emerges involving Derby County | OneFootball

Less than a week after the Tykes' 5-4 aggregate defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the League One Play-Off Semi-Final, the club have been hit with a bombshell that claims the former Liverpool man will be on his way from Oakwell when his contract comes to its conclusion on June 30th.

This comes at a time when the South Yorkshire outfit are on the hunt for yet another new boss to take the reins in the off-season, after Martin Devaney was unable to navigate a route to Wembley for a second successive season, just weeks after Neil Collins' departure was announced.

Herbie Kane set to depart Barnsley

A report on Monday afternoon from transfer guru Alan Nixon has broken the aforementioned news that Kane is looking for a new challenge after the Reds' season came to an end at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Via his Patreon account, Nixon states that the club's failure to end their two-year exile from the Championship is the main factor behind the 25-year-old's pending departure.

The report goes on to claim that Kane is searching for a move back to the second tier when he becomes a free agent in just over a month's time, having once again been at the centre of all things good to come from the Tykes this season, starring alongside the likes of Luca Connell and Adam Phillips in midfield.

The last line of the report states that Paul Warne and Derby County are closely monitoring the ex-Melwood academy graduate's situation, and may look to open talks for a deal in the not too distant future.

A frustrating end to a strong Barnsley career

There's no doubt that Kane has been one of the club's most standout players across his tenure in South Yorkshire, having signed a four-year-contract back in October 2020, as the club fended off interest from Luton Town, Portsmouth and Hull City - one of the midfielder's former loan clubs - to strike a £1.25m deal and 15% sell on clause with Liverpool.

In his first season at the club, he made 24 appearances but missed the run-in as Valerien Ismael guided the club to a Championship Play-Off Semi-Final, where they were defeated by Swansea City.

After a productive loan spell at Oxford United, Kane was thrust back into the Barnsley setup under Michael Duff following relegation back to League One.

Under his management, the Bristol-born playmaker would net four times and go on to register six assists as the Tykes would end up suffering heartbreak at Wembley to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday, with Kane making 48 appearances across all competitions.

And in what looks likely to be his final season in South Yorkshire, Kane has continued to show great strides of progress by accumulating 15 goal contributions in League One, as well as a goal in the EFL Cup defeat to Tranmere Rovers in August.

A shrewd addition for Derby County

Given Kane's capability in League One, a potential move to Pride Park makes sense for all parties, as the midfielder can continue his development along with the club, as Derby look to re-establish their place in the second tier after a turbulent period.

He has 31 previous Championship appearances to his name, netting two goals - both coming at Hull City in June 2020. Given his prior injury-hit spell at Barnsley when they were in the Championship and the disastrous run he endured at the MKM Stadium, Kane will definitely feel he has a point to prove in the second tier.