Barnsley must be on red alert to Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday transfer twists | OneFootball

Barnsley should try to sign Tommi O'Reilly on loan from Aston Villa after interest from Sheffield Wednesday and Notts County.

As they prepare to again try and challenge for promotion back to the Championship, Barnsley must surely be lining up a move to bring in youngster Tommi O’Reilly from Aston Villa on loan.

Barnsley began their summer with the surprising re-appointment of Daniel Stendel, who had previously led The Tykes to promotion via the play-offs from League One in the 2018-19 season.

Having since managed Heart of Midlothian, Nancy-Lorraine and Hannover II since then, Stendel has returned to Oakwell to try and help Barnsley re-establish themselves as a force in the third-tier.

Supporters have expressed their frustration with the running of the club in the last few years, with regular sales of key men and either bizarre timing when it comes to managerial appointments or sackings, or simply bizarre managerial appointments, halting their advance back to the second division.

After a similarly seemingly disjointed summer, Barnsley could do with some imagination in the attacking area of the pitch and they should be on red alert to take advantage of Sheffield Wednesday and Notts County both struggling to get a deal for O’Reilly over the line.

4 ? ? Barnsley are desperate for the creativity of Tommi O’Reilly

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In the 2025-26 season, Barnsley’s top goal scorer both in League One and across all competitions was 38-year-old David McGoldrick, who has since moved on to Mansfield Town.

Their second top scorer was David Keillor-Dunn, who joined Wrexham in the winter transfer window mid-way through the campaign, and third on the podium was Adam Phillips, who has been sold on to Bradford City this summer.

Even fourth and fifth on that list will give Barnsley supporters cause for concern with Reyes Cleary next, the subject of interest from the Championship in the winter, and Jon Russell after that, a player who again left Oakwell in the winter, joining Mansfield on loan where he has now signed on a permanent basis.

Barnsley are desperate for more of a guarantee of productivity in the final third amid the addition of Makenzie Kirk on loan from Portsmouth and, youngster Amani Richards for an undisclosed fee from Leicester City and winger Clayton Taylor from the Newcastle Jets.

While on loan at Crewe Alexandra last season, following reasonable but still fairly forgettable stints at Real Union, Shrewsbury Town and Milton Keynes Dons, Tommi O’Reilly showed the quality and creativity he possesses.

An attacking midfielder, who can also play out-wide, O’Reilly’s versatility appears ideal for Stendel’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system – and the level of productivity he showed at Crewe last season would suggest he could well rapidly develop and translate his performances to a higher level.

With seven goals and 11 assists in League Two last season, O’Reilly was Crewe’s most important player and, with 46 appearances across the campaign, also highlighted a durability, reliability and consistency that not many 22-year-old creative midfielders in the EFL possess.

Barnsley are desperate for players with both an eye for a pass and for goal in the final third, and O’Reilly ticks both boxes while also still being relatively early on in his development and therefore having an unknown ceiling – something that Barnsley should be very excited about and ready to exploit.

3 ? ? Sheffield Wednesday deal for Tommi O’Reilly broken down

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As well as simply being a good signing for Barnsley, if they were to poach O’Reilly from Aston Villa then it would also see them pip South Yorkshire rivals to his signature.

It has been reported that Sheffield Wednesday have previously been in advanced talks to sign him summer but The Owls have so far failed in a move to sign him.

Henrik Pedersen’s side have not been too busy in terms of attacking additions this summer, more strengthening their defence and midfield, albeit Louie Barry has moved to Hillsborough for an undisclosed fee from Villa, while Harry Gray and Mason Burstow have signed on loan from Leeds United and Hull City, respectively.

Wednesday possess creativity deeper in their side, with the return of Barry Bannan, and Louie Barry himself can provide that spark but they a player of the ilk of O’Reilly would surely remain beneficial.

Signing a player just so Sheffield Wednesday do not should not be a major motivating factor for Barnsley but it would be no bad thing if they brought in one of their local rivals’ longer-term targets.

2 ? ? Notts County appear to have moved on from Tommy O’Reilly

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Another club that has been interested in the signing of O’Reilly, and also engaged in talks, throughout this summer’s transfer window is Notts County but it may well be that The Magpies have now moved on.

With Tyrese Hall on loan from Tottenham Hotspur last season, Notts County possessed one of the best attacking midfielders in League Two but it is perhaps a testament to O’Reilly that County saw his performances for Crewe and deemed him a worthwhile signing, as they know a fair bit about smart loan additions.

However, it may well be that Notts County have now moved on from their lengthy pursuit of O’Reilly, with the newly-promoted outfit having brought in the likes of Oli Cooper and Hindolo Mustapha from Swansea City and Crystal Palace respectively to play in a similar position.

With Sheffield Wednesday seemingly struggling to get a deal over the line and now Notts County stacked in that position, Barnsley should be ready to pounce with a couple of weeks of the window remaining.

1 ? ? Aston Villa youngster could be the spark that Barnsley need

Supporters of Barnsley have grown frustrated with the club’s seeming lack of ambition and desire to be seen as a selling club for players to develop at.

While the signing of O’Reilly will not rectify that reputation or image, his signing would at least provide supporters with something to be optimistic about after a few years of losing key assets, including this summer.

Following their relegation from the Championship in the 2021-22 season, Barnsley sold both Cauley Woodrow and Carlton Morris to Luton Town, Callum Brittain to Blackburn Rovers and Michal Helik to Huddersfield Town while letting Callum Styles join Millwall on loan.

They finished fourth and lost the play-off final in the 2022-23 season, prompting the sales of Mads Andersen, Brad Collins and Liam Kitching as well as several key loanees departing, such as Bobby Thomas.

Styles joined West Bromwich Alion on a permanent basis in the 2024-25 campaign with more key loanees, such as Owen Dodgson and John McAtee instead going on to sign for League One rivals Stockport County and Bolton Wanderers.

Last season, Barnsley all but gave up on admittedly slim play-off hopes in January with the sale of Keillor-Dunn mid-way through the campaign and this summer has seen McGoldrick leave for Mansfield and Phillips become another key man sold.

Basically, Barnsley