Barnsley urged to sign ex-Derby County man as part of triple £0 transfer deal | OneFootball

Barnsley will be a League One side dipping into the free agent market, with an ex-Derby County player and a former Norwich City player tipped.

Barnsley head into the 2026/27 season at something of a crossroads, with the return of Daniel Stendel undoubtedly generating excitement among supporters.

Plenty of that optimism stems from the positive memories associated with his first spell in charge of Barnsley, but nostalgia alone will not reverse a worrying long-term trend in recent years. It's fair to say that the club's decline since reaching the Championship play-offs and finishing fifth in 2020/21 has been stark.

Relegation with a 24th-place finish was followed by League One finishes of fourth, sixth, 12th, and then 15th last season. Rather than building towards a promotion push, Barnsley have gradually drifted further away from the division's leading clubs. That slide has to stop for a club of their size and stature in the third tier.

Stendel's arrival should inject fresh belief, but the appointment itself will not be enough if the squad is not strengthened correctly. Barnsley appear to lack experience in several key areas, and addressing that imbalance should be a priority this summer.

Experienced trio picked out as ideal Barnsley signings for summer

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Recruitment will be crucial. If the club gets it right, there is every reason to believe Stendel can oversee significant improvement. If not, the feel-good factor surrounding his return may fade quickly. One avenue that League One clubs will explore is the free agent market and there are plenty of names that might be of interest.

We asked FLW's Barnsley fan pundit Andy Symcox about the potentially realistic free agent signings for Barnsley ahead of the summer, including which one he would most like the Tykes to try and land and why, and whilst two veteran centre-backs appear on there, there is a versatile departing Derby County player that would be ideal at Oakwell.

"Out of the list of available and realistic free agent transfer targets for Barnsley to look at this coming season, there are a few that catch my eye," Andy told FLW.

"We need a strong central defence. Either Shane Duffy or Danny Batth would certainly do that, although they are on the older side. In addition.

"Also, I've always had a great deal of liking for Bolton's Kyle Dempsey.

"He can play either on the right side of midfield as a right winger, or behind the striker, or in central midfield. However, despite being, in my view an excellent player, he also seems to be prone to injuries.

"Although I'd love to sign a fit Kyle Dempsey who continues to stay fit, I think it would be a risk for my football club at this moment. I would ideally like us to sign a dedicated and experienced left-back.

"We had Callum Elder on loan as a younger player who could play in the centre of defence or at left-back, but my personal preference would be for Ben Osborn. He has played for a number of Championship clubs, including Derby [County] and Sheffield United.

"At 31, he would still have a lot to offer for a number of years. It is worth noting, however, that Barnsley are in great need of strikers for this coming season. Although, I have to say, there is no one on that list that I would be particularly keen on us signing."

Whilst Duffy and Osborn have both been released by Norwich and Derby respectively, Batth is in talks to extend his time at Pride Park, albeit he only featured 10 times in the Championship last season.

Barnsley should be optimistic for 2026/27 under Daniel Stendel

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Barnsley go into 2026/27 with renewed hope, but there is no denying that League One looks exceptionally competitive heading into the 2026/27 season, with Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town, and Bradford City cubs of considerable stature in the division.

While clubs such as Luton Town, Oxford United, Plymouth Argyle, MK Dons, Wigan Athletic, Reading, Blackpool, Stockport County, and more all harbour promotion ambitions of their own. However, Barnsley should not be intimidated by the strength of the competition.

That comes down to Stendel, with the German already someone who has already shown he can build a successful side at Oakwell, and the club still possesses many advantages that others would envy as well. They retain a strong support base, a respected academy, and they remain a shark in League One that is an attractive profile for potential signings.

If recruitment is handled well and Stendel quickly re-establishes a clear identity, there is no reason why Barnsley cannot make a significant jump up the table and challenge towards the play-off places at the very least. However, this feels like a pivotal summer and numerous new faces are required.