How much AI thinks Barnsley's Davis Keillor-Dunn is worth as Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers eye move | OneFootball

The all-action Barnsley attacker is attracting attention from the Championship

Three Championship sides have reportedly been keeping an eye on Barnsley forward Davis Keillor-Dunn.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who revealed via his official X account that Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End and Middlesbrough are all keen.

The Tykes will obviously be keen to keep their current top scorer, but if a bid big enough comes in this January, they may struggle to resist.

Valuing such an important player can be difficult, so we’ve turned to AI to see what the supercomputer believes is a good price for the 28-year-old.

What AI values Davis Keillor-Dunn at

What a player might be worth in terms of market value is not necessarily reflective of what fee they’ll actually be sold for, as they may be worth more to the buyer or the seller.

Running Keillor-Dunn’s name through AI takes all this into account, and it has produced a range of potential values.

The software places the attacker’s market value at around £1m, a figure that might cause initial shock among Barnsley fans, given his talent and importance.

But the AI system then moves to clarify that his actual asking price is likely to be a lot higher, with this figure placed at around £5m or more.

Pushed for a precise price that Championship clubs like those mentioned would have to pay, the chatbot estimates low-ball offers of around £4m-£5m, with a more realistic fee seen as £5m-£6m, which could inflate if it becomes a battle between clubs.

Why Davis Keillor-Dunn could be worth over £5m

This valuation first of all, of course, takes into account Keillor-Dunn’s current and past performances, which has seen him notch 11 goals in 21 League One outings so far this year.

It looks like he’s set to match or surpass his tally of 18 goals last season, given the number of games left, should he remain at Oakwell.

Such numbers have been consistent for the Sunderland-born attacker, ever since his days in League Two with Oldham Athletic and Mansfield Town, and he’s translated that seamlessly into the third tier.

That gives confidence that he’ll step up and do the same with another bounce up the leagues.

Not only that, he’s also capable of playing a number of positions: out on both wings, up front and in a more withdrawn, attacking midfield role – he’s split his time almost evenly between those roles.

It makes him a manager's dream, as in one player they have cover for multiple positions, making tinkering with line-ups, formations and tactical setups easier.

Finally, he’s under contract until the summer of 2027, meaning the Tykes are firmly in the driving seat in negotiations both this January and in the off-season.

Those factors, plus his importance to Barnsley, all serve to push up his value.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has been crucial for Barnsley this season

Keillor-Dunn is by some distance Barnsley’s top scorer, with his 11 League One goals almost double that of his closest competitor, Reyes Cleary.

His expected goals stats (7.7 for xG and 10.6 for xGOT) are well ahead of anyone else, suggesting, if any clarity were needed, that his haul is not the work of luck but of the 28-year-old consistently finding himself in good goalscoring positions, having played more prominently as a striker than he has at other clubs.

The Tykes do have David McGoldrick to fall back on in the short term, should they be forced to sell Keillor-Dunn, but at 38 years old, he is clearly not the long-term answer.

If Barnsley are to sell Keillor-Dunn, they need to ensure they get enough from the deal to go and secure one of the best goalscorers at this level, as that’s undoubtedly what they’d be losing in the 28-year-old.