Barnsley FC transfer concern raised involving Josh Benson | OneFootball

Football League World's Tykes Fan Pundit has spoken about his main concerns once this season comes to an end.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Barnsley are in need of reinforcements in the summer transfer window, with the club seeing out the season with Conor Hourihane at the helm after Darrell Clarke was sacked in March.

It's going to be a huge few months for the Tykes with it looking more and more likely that they will remain in League One for a third successive season. The gap to the play-offs has slowly started to increase in recent weeks, and inconsistency has plagued them throughout 2024/25.

Decisions need to be made about who will lead the South Yorkshire club forward once this season comes to an end, and they must be given the opportunity to improve the squad ready for the new campaign.

However, to do so, Barnsley may have to let go some of their current key stars, and reinvent the face of the team in an attempt to close the gap to those who will be challenging for promotion, with a return to the Championship looking like a distant dream.

Verdict made on Barnsley's main concern for the summer transfer window

The Tykes' form has taken a turn for the worst over the course of the last month, and any chance of forcing their way into the play-off picture looks to have been lost.

A lack of threat in front of goal has been a major problem for Hourihane's side, and whether he is given the job on a permanent basis or not, this situation clearly needs to be fixed in the summer.

Football League World has asked their Barnsley Fan Pundit, Andy Symcox, what his main concern for the summer transfer window is.

He told FLW: "I have some concerns about this summer's transfer activity. I believe that we are likely to lose some of our high-earning players whose contracts are coming to an end this summer.

"For example, Josh Benson, who, in my view, is a talented footballer, but has played insufficient games and his minutes on the pitch have been limited over the last number of years due to a series of injuries. That is not beneficial to the club, so I expect good footballers such as Benson to be released.

"Similarly, the accounts for Barnsley have been released very recently. They show a deficit of a number of million from 2023 to 2024. I expect that again, some high earners, including players who have proven ability and who can command a decent fee, may be transferred to make up that deficit."

Andy continued: "While I understand that approach, it would weaken our team. Our recruitment needs to be much more targeted. It feels to me that we have tended to go for a scattergun approach where we have signed a number of players who, sadly, have not particularly improved the team or squad rather than a few quality players, that cannot continue.

"Regarding summer transfers, it has been well known by many Barnsley fans that the club is in need of a proven goalscorer and striker who is mobile and strong.

"Whether that will be possible given our financial circumstances, it's up for grabs at the moment. However, we have been needing such a player for the last few transfer windows, so my concern is that it will be more of the same and we will not sign a striker."

Barnsley have lacked a focal point this season

It's not been a season to remember at all for Barnsley, and these last few weeks of the season will be useful for the coaching staff and recruitment team to plan for the new campaign.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has been one of the few bright sparks going forward in 2024/25, and the focus for this summer must be on finding a striker who will consistently get themselves into dangerous positions.

The Tykes have not had a striker who has scored more than 20 goals in a league season since 2016, when Sam Winnall found the back of the net 21 times to help take his team to the Championship.

Barnsley need to find this number nine who will take on the responsibility of being a threat on a frequent basis in the final third, otherwise promotion back out of League One will become more and more difficult to win.