Luton Town launch bid for 25-year-old Dutchman - it may affect Barnsley talks | OneFootball

Luton Town may be pivoting away from the Barnsley captain in their search for a new midfielder

Luton Town have progressed in their search for a new midfielder on deadline day, and have made a bid for FC Utrecht midfielder Davy van den Berg.

This is per a report from Mike McGrath, via X, who states that the 25-year-old could head over to Bedfordshire today to sign for the Hatters.

This development could affect their pursuit of Barnsley captain Luca Connell, whom McGrath earlier today reported that Luton were interested in bringing in.

Van den Berg has been on the periphery of the action for Dutch side Utrecht this season, having just moved there from fellow Eredivisie outfit FC Zwolle in the summer, and just months later, he could be making his first move to a side outside of Holland, with Luton looking to complete a deal.

Luton Town launch bid for Davy Van Den Berg

A central midfielder seems to be the priority for Jack Wilshere's Luton side ahead of the transfer window closing at 7pm today, as the Hatters look to be in the best position possible to cut the current six-point gap between themselves and the top six.

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath has reported that they've made a bid for Utrecht's van den Berg, who has had a frustrating 2025/26 campaign thus far.

The 25-year-old was a regular fixture in the FC Zwolle side who won promotion to the Eredivisie in the 2022/23 campaign, before then establishing himself as a reliable top-flight option in the following two seasons, which earned him a move back to the side he left just years before.

However, van den Berg has made just nine outings in all competitions this term, and has made one league appearance since mid-September.

The 25-year-old is yet to ply his trade outside of Holland, having emerged through the youth teams at PSV and then Utrecht before making over 150 appearances in the domestic leagues in his home country.

A move to Luton would change that and would provide some top-flight quality to a Hatters side in pursuit of a play-off position.

Barnsley may be set to benefit from Luton Town, Davy van den Berg update

A bid for van den Berg may effectively end Luton's interest in Barnsley captain Connell, who had also been linked with a move to the Hatters by the Telegraph just hours before the reported move for the Dutchman was launched.

The 24-year-old has been a mainstay of Conor Hourihane's side this season, with suspension being the only thing taking him out of the starting eleven in League One.

Connell remains one of the players with clear Championship quality in the Barnsley squad, and if the Tykes are to make good of the handful of games in hand they have over their competition in the second half of the campaign to perhaps make a play-off bid, they'll need to ensure their captain stays put.

Additionally, given how stretched Conor Hourihane's squad has been so far this season, personnel-wise, losing anyone at this stage of the window would be a blow, especially to a divisional rival.

Luton's decision to pursue van den Berg may lessen their interest in Connell, and those at Oakwell will be happy to let those earlier reports be swept under the carpet as they aim to keep as many of their key players at the club on deadline day.