'I would not be happy' - Barnsley reaction given to shock Bradford City transfer deal | OneFootball

FLW's Barnsley fan pundit has given his reaction to reports that midfielder Adam Phillips is set to join League One rivals Bradford City.

A new era is underway at Barnsley following the return of Daniel Stendel as head coach, but the Tykes could be set to lose one of their key players.

After a disappointing 12th-placed finish last season, Barnsley parted company with Conor Hourihane after just one season in charge and replaced him with Stendel, who previously led the club to automatic promotion from League One in the 2018-19 campaign.

The Tykes will be hoping that Stendel can replicate his previous success in the upcoming season, but the German arrives at a challenging time at Oakwell, and he will reportedly be working with one of the lowest budgets in the third tier amid ongoing financial cuts.

A number of Barnsley's star men have already been linked with moves away this summer, with Luca Connell and David McGoldrick said to be on the radar of Luton Town and Mansfield Town respectively, but it seems midfielder Adam Phillips could be the first to head for the exit door.

Phillips joined the Reds from Burnley in the summer of 2022, and he has scored 43 goals and provided 27 assists in 182 games for the club over the past four years, including 11 goals and five assists in 50 appearances last season during another productive campaign.

Barnsley announced in May that they had triggered a one-year extension option in Phillips' contract, but it seems he may still be set to depart, with journalist Pete O'Rourke revealing that Bradford City are closing in on the signing of the 28-year-old for an undisclosed fee.

Barnsley fan reaction issued as Adam Phillips nears surprise Bradford City switch

When asked for his thoughts on Phillips' imminent move to Bradford, FLW's Barnsley fan pundit Andy Symcox admitted he would be disappointed to see the midfielder leave the club, but he refused to criticise the board for a lack of ambition until the reasons for his sale are explained.

"For me, the problem with transfer windows are that they are full of reports and speculation that players are going to leave Barnsley and that we are signing players that we perhaps have no intention of signing," Andy told FLW.

"Whether or not Adam Phillips is indeed leaving Oakwell to go to Bradford is, as far as I'm concerned, mere speculation.

"I would not be happy about this as he is one of our better players.

"However, this summer, we triggered a one-year extension option that was in favour of the club on Phillips.

"Who knows what happens behind the scenes, it may be that we want the money or Phillips may have indicated that he does not intend to sign another contract with us.

"At this moment, his stock is as high as it could be, which could make it a good time to sell him when we could get the most amount of money for him.

"I have absolutely no idea if it's true, and I wait with bated breath, like most Barnsley fans, to find out.

"If it is in fact the case, then I wish him all the best and thank him for the years of dedication that he's given to Barnsley and the skill and goals that he has shown.

"I would be gutted if he left, but I would like to better understand the reasoning behind such a move before I condemn the club for a lack of ambition."

Having hit double figures for goals in each of his four seasons at Oakwell, there is no doubt that Phillips is one of the best midfielders in League One, and he will be a huge loss for Barnsley.

Selling Phillips was never going to be well-received by the Tykes fanbase, but offloading him to a divisional rival in Bradford, who finished fourth last season and will likely be among the promotion contenders again this time around, does not reflect well on the board.

With Phillips departing and the future of last season's top scorer McGoldrick uncertain, Barnsley could be set to lose a significant amount of their goal threat, and there are question marks over whether they can be adequately replaced as the club's budget cuts continue.