Barnsley FC tipped to offload 25-year-old that Conor Hourihane is not fancying | OneFootball

Few at Barnsley would have expected Jon Russell’s struggles this season

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 midfielder Jon Russell has fallen down the pecking order this season under Conor Hourihane.

The 25-year-old was a League One regular for the Tykes last term, but so far has not been in the manager’s starting XI thoughts this season.

With his current contract expiring this summer, there is a decision for both Russell and his employers to make, and the January transfer window could prove to be a key point in that process.

We asked our Barnsley fan pundit, Andy Symcox, for his thoughts on whether Barnsley should try and extract a small fee for Russell in January, or whether he deserves more of a chance.

Barnsley should look to sell Jon Russell

Speaking to Football League World, Andy said: “Jon Russell finished last season quite strongly and scored a good number of goals.

“However, this season, it seems pretty clear that he's down the pecking order of midfield players.

“Currently, Barnsley have a surfeit of midfield players that are clearly in front of Jon, in terms of being picked.

“I was surprised that Jon didn't leave Barnsley in the summer. And as regards whether or not he will leave in January, it boils down, in my view, to Jon's own motivation.

“He may wish to see his contract out, knowing that he can talk to other clubs in the meantime, and prepare for his future.

“But on the other hand, he's hopeful of playing for Jamaica in the World Cup finals this coming summer, and so needs to be playing regularly in order to force his way into that squad and indeed into the starting XI.

“From a club perspective, I would suggest that it is the club's best interests to get a fee for John, as he will be highly unlikely to sign a new contract given the current circumstances.”

Few would have predicted Jon Russell’s current season

Last season, it would have been easy to suggest Russell was coming into his prime, starting 34 league games, making 40 appearances overall and, impressively, netting 11 goals from the centre of the park.

It was the Jamaica international’s best season to date, and at 25, it would have been reasonable to presume that this was the start of Russell kicking on and entering his best years as an all-action midfielder.

This season, however, has been a step backwards.

As the calendar crossed into December, Russell was still yet to receive his first league start of the season, restricted to cameos off the bench and appearances in the Carabao Cup and Vertu Trophy.

The signing of young midfielder Patrick Kelly from West Ham United, the introduction of Vimal Yoganathan and the promotion of Jonathan Bland to the first team has not helped Russell, with him lacking the experience of the likes of Adam Phillips.

It appears Russell has been caught in no-man’s-land at Barnsley; not young enough to be considered an exciting prospect, but not old enough to be valued for his experience.

Jon Russell should have suitors

Russell’s contract will expire this summer, meaning he’ll be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January, and leave for nothing to any club in the summer.

As Football League World exclusively revealed earlier this year, Russell was being tracked by Championship quartet Derby County, Oxford United, Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.

Given his exploits this season, his potential suitors may not be as lofty, but it goes to show how many clubs are aware of his talents.

A bottom-end second-tier club, or a strong side in League One, with gaps in the centre of the pitch, could certainly use the services of Russell and, if he’s available, would probably be willing to pay a small fee to have him bolster their squad immediately, rather than wait until the summer.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Russell pushed for such a move himself in January, with Jamaica still in the FIFA World Cup play-offs, needing wins against New Caledonia and Congo to qualify for the tournament proper.

If they get there, Russell will need to be playing football to remain in the thoughts of the national side, who will have a new manager following the resignation of Steve McClaren.

It appears Russell is not in Hourihane’s plans and, if that is the case, an exit in January seems the most sensible solution for everyone.