Barnsley, Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town handed transfer snub by top flight midfielder | OneFootball

Barnsley, Plymouth and Luton have all made contract offers to Falkirk's Dylan Tait, but they've been turned down

Even though the League One season only finished earlier this month, clubs are already getting to work on strengthening their squads ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

It promises to be an exciting season in the battle for promotion, as there is uncertainty surrounding the relegated trio; Oxford United, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday.

So, the battle to go up will be intriguing, and Barnsley, Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town are among the clubs who missed out on the play-offs that will expect to be in the mix to go up next year.

Barnsley, Plymouth and Luton make contract offers to Falkirk’s Dylan Tait - but it's bad news

Clearly, the three clubs need to strengthen, and it appears they have been targeting the same player.

That’s after the Daily Record (May 27, 2:16pm) revealed that the three League One clubs are among those to have made an offer to Falkirk’s Dylan Tait.

The midfielder’s deal with the Scottish Premiership side expires in a matter of weeks, so he has been free to speak to clubs as he assesses his next move.

And not long after his Falkirk exit was confirmed on Wednesday evening after turning down a renewed deal at the Bairns, news emerged north of the border from The Courier that the 24-year-old Glasgow-born maestro has agreed a deal with Dundee United of the Scottish Premiership.

Tait has been a key figure in Falkirk’s remarkable story over the years, having joined the club in January 2024 on an initial loan when they were in the third tier.

Having helped them to the Championship, the Bairns then made it successive promotions, and they have just recorded a top six finish in the Premiership.

Tait has been influential in that rise, and he played every game for John McGlynn’s side this season, scoring three times, but he will not make the move to England's third tier, and will instead carry on his career in Scotland.

Dylan Tait would have been a smart signing for any League One side

Following on from that, given his CV, it’s fair to say that Tait would have been a shrewd addition for Barnsley, Luton or Plymouth, especially on a free transfer.

The three clubs all need midfield reinforcements, but this shows how difficult it can be to attract players, and it would be no surprise if they are competing for the same players in different positions as well.

When you considered the clubs that are in for Tait, it would have been a coup for whoever did bring him in, and in Dundee United's case, they've got one over a top flight rival.

It's clear that the Tangerines have been able to offer a better deal than Falkirk at the very least, and it looks to be a good enough one to not tempt him south of the border, with a three-year deal set to be signed.

Now, the aforementioned EFL trio that wanted Tait will move on to different engine room options, having been beaten to the punch.