Barnsley should launch reunion with former loan starlet to ignite League One promotion bid: Opinion | OneFootball

Barnsley have endured an abundance of adversity as of recent, having succumbed to excruciating, last-grasp defeat in the play-off final to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday and then lost manager Michael Duff to Swansea City, a prospect that would have been considerably less likely had they returned to the Championship.

In an ideal world, Duff’s promising project could have been elevated to the second-tier, where Barnsley may well have stood a stronger chance of survival than in years gone by, though instead, they remain in League One and, most pressingly of all, without a manager.

Of course, much will hinge upon how efficiently they fill the evident, gaping void of the former-Cheltenham Town boss, but there will also be a doubtless significance towards the manner in which they bolster their squad, too, if they are to go one better and escape from the division next term.

Indeed, that strategy could yet be complicated further, with high-performing assets such as Luca Connell, Jordan Williams and Liam Kitching all having earned a prospective Championship move over the summer.

Whether that will materialize awaits to be seen, though it would not come as a surprise to see Duff seeking to bring Connell, for example, down to South Wales as Russell Martin’s reported interest in reuniting with Swansea captain Matt Grimes at Southampton continues to persist.

So, make no mistake about it, a crucial few months is on the horizon for Barnsley, and dependent on just that, their season really could turn out either way.

That said, they could lay down an early marker of intent, and get the gears in motion by bringing Domingos Quina back to Oakwell, with the midfielder facing a wholly uncertain future at Watford.

What is Domingos Quinta’s current situation at Watford?

Following an array of temporary spells away from Vicarage Road, all of which have yielded considerably varying degrees of success, Quina’s future at the club now appears to be coming to a head.

The ex-West Ham academy prospect initially got tongues wagging during a productive and promising loan move with Granada, where he scored twice having only started five matches in La Liga.

It was testament to his talent, and indeed the regard in which he was held in among footballing circles that he next ended up at eventual title-winners Fulham in the 2021/22 campaign, though, with fierce competition from the likes of Bobby Decordova-Reid, Harry Wilson and Fabio Carvalho among others, merely four appearances would be made before he was recalled in January and subsequently sent back out on loan, this time to Barnsley.

And even though they ended up succumbing to the drop, Quina caught the eye with a number of eye-catching displays up north, where the combination of his technical and dribbling qualities, and an unprecedented willingness to engage in the nitty-gritty out-of-possession responsibilities hugely impressed.

His career has possessed an air of inconsistency, however, and that has recently come to the fore with two underwhelming loan experiences last term with both Elche and Rotherham United, failing to register a single goal for either amid a profound difficulty to obtain regular minutes on the pitch.

Naturally, this turbulence is just why his days at Watford could well be numbered, and the fact that only a year remains on his current deal enforces that feeling further.

As you would expect, the Hornets will not want to lose Quina for nothing next summer, so it does seem likely that they may sanction a sale in the coming weeks or, perhaps, months in order to garner some sort of fee for his services.

And maybe, this potential ultimatum will accelerate now that Ismael, a direct, industry-emphasized manager, has taken the reins and will be expected to quickly make vital decisions on the playing squad moving forward given the lack of inclusivity to the way that he sets his teams up.

Numerous departures may be sanctioned and Quina may just be one of the first to head for the exit door.

Why would Watford’s Domingos Quina be a good signing for Barnsley?

As aforementioned, Quina has previously acclimatized to the demands of playing for Barnsley and is already instilled with the knowledge and know-how of the club, so, for a player who rather clearly has some difficulty in adapting elsewhere, this move does appear something of a no-brainer.

Different footballers operate differently, and the succession of loan spells has, by and large, proved futile towards his development, meaning that finding a permanent home must surface as a key component of Quina’s thinking this summer.

And while he has undertaken a fair degree of trials and tribulations on loan both in the Championship and abroad, it would be hard to contest that an optimized version of the 23-year-old could not orchestrate a leading role in League One, providing that he finds the right club and the right modus operandi within that.

In order to perform at his peak levels, the former-Portugal youth International needs a free license just ahead of a sitting midfield to get on the ball as much as possible and drive in possession at opponents.

Whether that could happen at Barnsley is still up for debate, but any of Connell, Adam Phillips and Herbie Kane could all well leave for the second-tier following their impressive respective seasons at League One level.

All three registered seven assists or more, meaning that if any do go, then Barnsley must strive to fill that creative void in the side with immediacy and Quina would provide a suitable option to do so.

You do feel that, at the age of 23 and with an absence of loan spells that have provided the right environment to maximize his talents, that the best really could be yet to come, but Barnsley can provide a platform for his untapped potential to finally be reached.