Barnsley's Reyes Cleary replacement should be ex-Sheffield Wednesday player | OneFootball

Reyes Cleary looks destined for the Championship this summer, and Barnsley should target Ibrahim Cissoko as his replacement

Reyes Cleary looks destined for a Championship move this summer, following a breakout season in League One with Barnsley.

The 22-year-old had made just three substitute appearances in the EFL in a failed loan spell with Walsall from parent club West Brom before he linked up with the Oakwell-based side last summer, and he has truly burst onto the scene.

No one in the third tier registered more assists than Cleary's 13 last season, and he scored seven times to accompany that, too. Per Fotmob, he was in the top five per cent of left wingers in the division for successful dribbles, chances created and successful crosses, too.

Above that, his performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup third round exit back in January forced plenty of people who may not have been watching League One to know who Cleary is. That brought about mid-season interest, and, even though Barnsley knocked that back, they'll surely incur a struggle to keep him at Oakwell this summer.

Barnsley chief executive Jon Flatman admitted that Cleary "will leave the club when the numbers are right for Barnsley FC." Their valuation was reportedly £5 million in January, and only time will tell if it will be met in the coming months.

Barnsley should target Ibrahim Cissoko if Reyes Cleary departs

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If Cleary does leave, Barnsley would be wise to invest in numerous different areas of the field, such as bolstering their backline and adding some extra depth up front, alongside targeting a replacement on the left-hand side.

Therefore, they should target Ibrahim Cissoko to replace him, a winger who may not set the Tykes back too much money and could still provide a similar amount of quality in Cleary's absence.

Cissoko has spent the last two seasons on loan with EFL clubs from French outfit Toulouse. In 2024/25, his campaign was split over spells with Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, and last year, he helped Bolton Wanderers to promotion out of League One.

The 23-year-old arrived at the Toughsheet stadium on loan, with an option for the Trotters to make the deal permanent this summer for a reported £1.2 million. However, after playing more of a supporting role in their promotion, Bolton announced via their retained list that he'll be returning to his parent club.

Cissoko only made 11 starts in the third tier last season, scoring three times. Crucially, though, two of those goals came in the final three games, and that earned him a spot in the starting eleven for both play-off semi-final legs against Bradford City, assisting Amario Cozier-Duberry in the first leg win.

Arguably, he showed his talent much too late in the season to warrant a permanent switch as Bolton prepares for the Championship, but with more time on the field, he could be a real danger out wide in the third tier.

Per Fotmob, Cissoko averaged 3.28 successful dribbles per 90, the most in the division, won 3.10 fouls per 90 and created 2.06 chances per 90, too. His dribble success rate was over 50%, meaning he was a handful in the short amount of time he was afforded on the pitch.

Barnsley can offer him that time if a spot opens up due to a Cleary departure. Cissoko is a forward-thinking, skilful winger, similar to the Tykes star, and could easily fill that gap.

Barnsley could be in good standing to make a future profit if they sign Ibrahim Cissoko

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Cissoko is still only 23, so he still has room to grow and improve in a Barnsley shirt, which could lead to the Tykes making a good profit on him in the future.

The South Yorkshire side has developed a reputation in recent years as a club that can take in young stars who may not have much fanfare around them or have had success in lower leagues and develop them to become Championship-ready stars.

That should be a good selling point for someone like Cissoko, who showed in bursts this past season that he can be capable of being a second-tier standard winger.

Not only could the Guinean wideman help Daniel Stendel's side in their quest to re-establish themselves as one of League One's premier sides after back-to-back mid-table finishes, but he could also help Barnsley bank a profit on him in the future.

With Cissoko's contract running out next summer, Toulouse won't be waiting around to sell him during the offseason, and if Barnsley can negotiate a good fee for him, he could be in line to make the Tykes some money in the future.