Barnsley: Major issue for Darrell Clarke after Devante Cole blow - View | OneFootball

Major issue remains for Barnsley as club fails to sign a replacement for Devante Cole.

Highlights

Barnsley face a huge issue after failing to replace last season's top goalscorer, Devante Cole.

As the new League One season approaches, Barnsley are yet to sign a striker to replace Devante Cole, who left Oakwell in the summer as a free agent. Cole has now signed for Championship club West Bromwich Albion, taking the step-up into the Championship without the Tykes.

The main area of weakness within the current Barnsley squad is the forward department. Last season, Cole scored 18 goals and the club are yet to bring in a striker this summer that has the qualities to score 20 per season and fire Barnsley towards promotion.

John McAtee is another player who left Oakwell in the summer when his loan expired. The 25-year-old scored 15 goals last season and will be another huge loss to Barnsley.

Midfielder Herbie Kane, who scored nine goals during the 2023/24 season, has also left Oakwell with supporters wondering where the goals may come from next season? In recent seasons, Barnsley have been high scorers, netting 82 times in the 2023/24 campaign and scoring 80 goals during the 2022/23 campaign.

Major issue remains for Darrell Clarke after Devante Cole blow

The issue remains for manager Darrell Clarke, with the club yet to sign a replacement for Cole in this summer's transfer window. Barnsley have openly stated they are in the market for a new striker but as yet one has not come through the doors at Oakwell.

Although some supporters felt Cole's body language in the second half of last season showed he felt his future lay elsewhere, you cannot argue with his goal scoring return of 33 goals in the last two seasons.

Barnsley strikers who need to step up

Darrell Clarke has at his disposal Sam Cosgrove, Max Watters and academy players Fabio Jalo and Aiden Marsh. Local lad Marsh has been loaned out on a number of occasions but is yet to show a clinical side to his game to suggest he is likely to start regularly for the first team. He has scored just three times in 24 appearances in all competitions.

At 18, Fabio Jalo has already starred for Portugal's under 18 and under 19 sides and shows huge potential, with Barnsley already turning down bids from an unnamed Serie A side.

Whilst only scoring once in the league in 21 appearances, Jalo has been prolific for the youth sides at Oakwell. Many fans would like to see Jalo starting more for Barnsley, but caution remains about throwing such a young and raw talent into the first team.

During the play-off semi-finals with Bolton Wanderers, Sam Cosgrove certainly staked a claim for a starting role this season, scoring from the bench in the first leg and scoring a brace in the second. It was not just his goals that caught the eye but his leading of the forward line and all round contribution to the team that stood out. Supporters will hope that Cosgrove can replicate those performances this season and be a regular starter.

Watters is another striker who has failed to score goals with any regularity, just eight in his last two seasons. Watters signed permanently for Barnsley in July 2023 after a short spell on loan. As yet, Watters has failed to impose himself on the side with big questions still remaining over his ability to score goals at League One level.

With question marks over the reliability of Watters and Cosgrove scoring goals for Barnsley, the club are in need of signing a striker capable of reaching that 20-goal mark in League One. The club is under pressure to deliver such a player for Clarke, but it will be interesting to see if the board manages the task.

The issue of a lack of quality strikers could cost Barnsley dearly this season if it's not addressed.