Barnsley may need to brace for Davis Keillor-Dunn exit threat - QPR and Wrexham could come calling again | OneFootball

Davis Keillor-Dunn has picked up where he left off last season for the Tykes

It has been a much improved start to the season for Barnsley under Conor Hourihane as the club sets about rectifying an extremely underwhelming campaign last time out.

Given the club's recent pedigree as Championship regulars or, at the very least, promotion hopefuls in League One, it was an unwanted surprise when the Oakwell outfit surrendered their consistent position inside the play-offs between 2022 and 2024, ending last season in 12th place, some 17 points behind Leyton Orient in sixth.

However, in the early weeks of 2025/26, the former Republic of Ireland international has got the Reds playing some extremely exciting, front-footed football which has culminated with a tally of 16 points from the opening seven league encounters - a record only bettered by Bradford City and Cardiff City.

Supporters in this part of South Yorkshire are, unsurprisingly, full of optimism as for what lies ahead between now and the end of the season, especially when considering the strong mix of attacking options now at Hourihane's disposal.

However, despite being able to only add to his goalscoring prolificacy through the likes of David McGoldrick, Caylan Vickers and Reyes Cleary, Tykes supporters and higher-ups may need to once again brace themselves for exit talk surrounding the talismanic Davis Keillor-Dunn, who has started this season exactly how he finished the last.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has proven to be a transfer masterstroke for Barnsley FC

Keillor-Dunn has cemented himself as one of the best-performing stars in the EFL's lower divisions in recent seasons, previously proving his worth for Mansfield Town as the Stags were eventually promoted back to the third-tier ahead of last season.

The 27-year-old has since backed up 22 goals in his final full season at Field Mill with a strong adaptation to League One for the very first time in his career, becoming Barnsley's main goalscoring output despite not featuring as the main striker each and every week under Darrell Clarke and latterly, Hourihane.

He enjoyed two significantly strong purple patches despite the club's overall underperformance, which included registering nine goals and assists combined as the current boss was initially made interim head coach, before taking the role on a full-time basis in late April.

Unsurprisingly, Keillor-Dunn was subsequently nominated for the League One Player of the Season award alongside Richard Kone of Wycombe Wanderers (now at Queens Park Rangers) and Birmingham City's midfield general, Tomoki Iwata.

Clearly, the Sunderland-born man has been fuelled by his 20-goal season and not receiving the aforementioned overall accolade, with the forward among a cluster of five players to have already scored five times in the opening month of the season, averaging a goal every 128 minutes, whilst boasting a conversion rate of 28 percent.

Unsurprisingly, with Keillor-Dunn's upward trajectory continuing since his move to Barnsley, many feel the next natural step for the attacker is to feature in the Championship for the very first time.

Sources exclusively informed Football League World earlier in the summer that all of Wrexham, Oxford United and the aforementioned QPR were weighing up potential moves for his services, although all three clubs showcased a fear of being priced out of a deal.

Such feelings and circumstances were backed up later in the window when claims that the Reds were demanding a fee in excess of £5m amid interest from Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough.

If the attacker's form continues, those in the Oakwell boardroom will feel that such a valuation is extremely vindicated, and with just under two years still remaining on his deal, they continue to hold significant bargaining power over his future.

It remains to be seen if the aforementioned clubs come back in for Keillor-Dunn's services by the time January comes around, with QPR signing Kone, Wrexham acquiring Kieffer Moore and Charlton completing the signing of Charlie Kelman and Isaac Olaofe among other pieces of business. But, it is clear that those of a Barnsley persuasion will be preparing for suitors to be knocking at the door.