What Conor Hourihane has said about potential transfer raid at Barnsley FC involving Blackpool | OneFootball

Conor Hourihane addresses Barnsley links with forgotten Blackpool loanee amid positive transfer update

Conor Hourihane is hoping for two new signings at Barnsley before next week's deadline, and has admitted that he's an admirer of Scott Banks, who is currently on loan at Blackpool from German side St Pauli.

Despite possessing one of the league's top scorers in Davis Kiellor-Dunn and one of the league's brightest young stars in Reyes Cleary, Barnsley have been light in forward areas this season.

With Fabio Jalo missing the majority of the campaign through injury, 38-year-old David McGoldrick has been shouldering the rest of the load.

Therefore, there have been expectations that the Tykes will be looking to target strikers and wingers this January, and the Barnsley Chronicle have reported that the club would like to bring in a couple of new faces by February 2nd.

One of those could end up being Banks, who has struggled in his return to England thus far with fellow League One side Blackpool.

Conor Hourihane reveals postive Barnsley transfer update amid Blackpool, Scott Banks talk

According to a report from the Barnsley Chronicle, Barnsley are hoping to sign one player before they take on Stevenage on Saturday, and another come the end of the winter window on February 2nd, with an emphasis on forward players.

Currently, Charlie Lennon is the only attacker through the door this month, but the 19-year-old's arrival from Middlesbrough is seen by Hourihane as one for the future, and he'd like to bring in some more players who can make an impact now.

"We're hoping definitely by Stevenage to have one added into the squad. [...] We'd like to get two before next Monday," Hourihane said.

"We have to be really honest in terms of the squad and where we're at. We need a couple of bodies, and we're active, and we want to rectify that this week. We're a couple of bodies short from being in a decent position to hit our schedule head-on."

Barnsley are in a peculiar position in League One, where they have played at least three fewer games than anyone else, and in some cases, they have five games in hand on their third-tier peers. To capitalise on this, Hourihane will need extra bodies to take the playing load off his current crop.

One player mentioned has been Scott Banks, who has started just two league games since joining Blackpool on loan from Bundesliga outfit St Pauli in the summer, and the Tykes manager has admitted that he is an admirer of the 24-year-old.

"I know Scott's obviously a very good player, and he's not had the minutes that he would like at Blackpool," Hourihane continued.

"Maybe there's potential in that one. I'm not saying that it's a definite, and we're going to get it done, but I really like the player for sure. If he's one that we could add over the next few days, that would be a positive, but we'll wait and see on that one.

"We would like to add bodies of that quality. He's someone that can come in and make an impact instantly, rather than a Charlie Lennon signing who has real development in him and will take that little bit of time."

Scott Banks would be a perfect signing for Barnsley

Barnsley are in an awkward position currently when it comes to attacking recruitment. There's no doubting that they need more bodies in forward areas, but if Cleary and Keillor-Dunn remain at Oakwell past next week's transfer deadline, it's difficult to see any new players starting regularly.

Therefore, someone like Banks would be an ideal signing. He's only been allowed just over 400 minutes of League One action this season, but in other competitions, such as the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup, he's scored and assisted consistently, and shown his class.

Banks will want more league starts across the second half of the season than the two he's had thus far at Bloomfield Road, and while he may not be getting in the side ahead of Cleary week in, week out at Barnsley, he'd easily be afforded more game time in a Tykes side devoid of attacking depth.

The 24-year-old was left out of Blackpool's recent 2-0 win over Northampton Town, the first time he's been absent from a league game since October, which may indicate that St Pauli may be looking at relocating him.