Exclusive: Wrexham AFC & Bristol City join Middlesbrough in Barnsley transfer race | OneFootball

Wrexham and Bristol City have joined Middlesbrough and others in the race for Barnsley forward Davis Keillor-Dunn, Football League World has learned

Wrexham AFC and Bristol City are poised to go toe-to-toe in the remaining stages of this month's transfer market in an effort to bolster their own respective aspirations to reach the Championship play-offs.

The top-six-chasing duo are positioned just outside of the play-off places at this moment in time, with just one point separating ninth-placed Wrexham and eleventh-placed Bristol City.

With an out-of-form Preston North End sitting up in sixth with a slender two-point advantage over Wrexham, however, the play-offs remain perfectly attainable and a glut of sides - perhaps extending all the way down to 16th and 17th with Southampton and Sheffield United respectively - will fancy their chances of hijacking the top-six as the season goes on.

Wrexham have flexed their financial muscles considerably in the transfer market over recent years, spending approximately £33 million during the summer window following a third successive promotion under Phil Parkinson, but will need to exercise further financial power this month as they pursue the next chapter in their journey, having not yet made a January acquisition.

The Robins, meanwhile, have made two moves to date by snapping up free agent Sam Morsy and returning George Earthy for a second loan stint at Ashton Gate from West Ham United, although Gerhard Struber's biggest priority may be retaining the services of star forward Anis Mehmeti amid recent links with Ipswich Town and Wolves.

Wrexham AFC, Bristol City join Middlesbrough and others in transfer race for Barnsley's Davis Keillor-Dunn

Football League World can now disclose an interesting target on the radars of both Wrexham and Bristol City, which could initiate a frantic transfer saga as the window draws to a close.

Sources have exclusively revealed to FLW that the two second-tier outfits have registered their interest in Barnsley forward Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has a host of suitors ahead of a potential exit from Oakwell this month.

Earlier this month, FLW broke the news that Barnsley are open to sanctioning Keillor-Dunn's departure at the right price following an electric eighteen-month spell in South Yorkshire, having signed for the Tykes from Mansfield Town in the summer of 2024.

The versatile attacker recorded 19 goals and seven assists across all competitions during his debut campaign at Barnsley and has been similarly inspired this time around, with 11 strikes from just 21 League One outings at the time of writing.

It's perhaps no great surprise, then, that Keillor-Dunn has garnered considerable Championship interest in recent times, and reports detailed how Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Preston North End all sent scouts to watch the 28-year-old up close in Barnsley's 4-1 FA Cup third-round defeat at Liverpool on January 12.

Barnsley's Davis Keillor-Dunn is ready for the Championship amid fresh Wrexham AFC, Bristol City transfer interest

Barnsley supporters would largely contend that Keillor-Dunn has outgrown League One at this stage of his career, and even though they wouldn't want it to happen owing to the undoubted knock-on effect of their own play-off ambitions, a move to the Championship would be merited.

Capable of operating in a number of attacking positions, Keillor-Dunn could prove a strong addition at the likes of Wrexham or Bristol City, where he could potentially replace Mehmeti at the latter.

Both sides would benefit from fresh firepower to double-down on their promotion efforts, with the Robins eager to avenge last term's play-off semi-final drubbing at the hands of Sheffield United, and Wrexham have the sort of transfer kitty which can blow competition out of the water and leave clubs with offers they can't refuse.