Derby County & Sheffield United must be licking their lips at Barnsley transfer news | OneFootball

Derby County and Sheffield United are set to receive a boost in their pursuit of Barnsley winger Reyes Cleary

Derby County and Sheffield United head into the 2026/27 Championship season with their eyes set on a place in the top six at a minimum, as both clubs prepare for hugely important summer windows by battling out for a League One star.

At Pride Park, Derby endured a much-improved campaign, with John Eustace guiding the Rams to within an inch of a place in the play-offs, losing out on the final day, incidentally to Sheffield United, crushing their hopes of a top six finish in the process.

Meanwhile, at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United took a significant step back from the season prior, finishing in 13th, 30 points fewer than they managed the year prior, as the Blades endured a year comparable to a rollercoaster ride.

Both clubs, though they finished just nine points apart, will have hugely different overriding feelings to end the season, but both will head into the upcoming campaign with a sense of optimism.

The summer transfer window presents both clubs with an opportunity to strengthen areas of weakness, as both clubs are set to receive a huge boost in their pursuit of a player who starred in League One just last year, and could take the Championship by storm.

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Both Derby and Sheffield United will be targeting attacking reinforcements this summer, as both John Eustace and Chris Wilder prepare to shake things up at their respective clubs.

Derby sees each of Jayden Banel, Sammie Szmodics, and Ben Brereton Diaz depart the club from their loan spells, whilst Gus Hamer moves closer to leaving South Yorkshire, and neither Tyrese Campbell, Tom Cannon, nor Tahith Chong has been able to nail down a place in the starting 11.

Now, both sides will be keeping an eye on the activity going on at Barnsley, as the Tykes edge closer to a deal that could see Reyes Cleary become more attainable this summer.

Cleary, 22, came through the youth ranks at West Brom, and spent time out on loan with Walsall and Hartlepool United before completing a free transfer to Barnsley last summer, where he has since registered seven goals and 13 assists in 42 league games in the most recent campaign.

Best played off the left, where he can cut in on his right, Cleary has previously drawn interest as far back as January from Sheffield United, whilst Derby have entered the race more recently, as both sides prepare to battle it out for his services.

Now, both the Rams and Blades can take encouragement in Barnsley edging closer to a deal for Australian winger Clayton Taylor, with the 22-year-old reportedly set to make the journey from Down Under side Newcastle Jets.

Taylor has scored 24 and grabbed 13 assists in 79 games for Newcastle Jets, and is now set to take Cleary's place on the left flank at Oakwell, freeing up a move elsewhere, with both Derby and Sheffield United keen.

The Aussie's addition is a clear indicator of Cleary's potential departure, as the Tykes look to cash in and maximise their profit on the 22-year-old whilst they can to help fund additions elsewhere in the squad.

It would be little surprise to see a deal for Cleary speed up following the announcement of Taylor's arrival, though whether Derby, Sheffield United, or another club will win the race for the Barnsley man, remains to be seen.

John Eustace and Chris Wilder could go head-to-head for the services of Reyes Cleary this summer

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Derby have already completed their first bit of business of the summer window, sealing the £6 million addition of RB Salzburg midfielder Bobby Clark after a successful loan spell at Pride Park, and will be aiming to continue that similar ambition throughout the coming weeks and months.

How much the Rams are able to spend this summer remains to be seen, but with Eustace clearly having a strong back from the club's hierarchy, it would be a surprise if they didn't continue supporting him in the pursuit of Cleary.

In Wilder's case, the 58-year-old was not afforded the last summer window following his previous dismissal, but will now have the opportunity to do so with the Blades this time around.

The Sheffield native will be hoping to work some similar magic as years gone by at Bramall Lane, and Cleary will surely be high up on his shopping list as he aims to address the final third.

Both Eustace and Wilder will create strong pitches for Cleary, but which Championship heavyweight will prevail is anyone's guess.