The transfer window has officially closed and the window has been seen as underwhelming by the majority of Barnsley fans with the Tykes still thin in a number of positions.
Barnsley have signed some great players, but this window will be judged by the players we didn’t sign instead of the ones we did.
Due to financial constraints, we have had to let some key assets leave and many fans feel that they haven’t been fully replaced.
STRIKER
Most of the talk from fans this window has been about the Striker situation, with Barnsley looking thin in the striker department after letting quality strikers leave and not replacing them.
The club's relegation means that our income will drop an estimated £7million, largely due to TV rights and sponsorship money decreasing. This means that Barnsley will have to sell some key assets to claw back that money and reduce the wage bill.
The first departure was club captain Cauley Woodrow. In his 4 years with the club, the Striker didn't experience a dull season with some real highs and lows: In his first season, Barnsley won promotion to the Championship under Daniel Stendel, with Woodrow bagging 14 goals and playing 27 games. The next season, Barnsley stayed up on the very last day in the very last minute as Woodrow scored 14 goals throughout the season to help keep Barnsley up. In his third season, Woodrow heavily featured under Ismael as the Tykes reached the Championship Play-Offs and enjoyed our most successful season in a decade with Woodrow playing 44 times, scoring 13 goals, and getting 5 assists.
His fourth and final season was just as eventful as the other 3, but a lot more negative for both Woodrow and Barnsley. Woodrow was given the captaincy before the season started but things soon started to turn sour as the striker called out the fans as 'fickle' turning many of his admirers into enemies. Cauley experienced an injury mid-way through the season, causing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, he featured just 25 times under Schopp and Asbaghi scoring only 4 goals.
Despite Woodrow being a proven goal scorer and someone who’d have definitely been useful in League One, the transfer was well received by Barnsley fans.
The second big departure hurt Barnsley fans much more as Carlton Morris left Barnsley to join Luton.
Morris was one of very few bright sparks in a poor Barnsley side last season. He impressed Barnsley fans with his work ethic and attitude, the opposite story to Woodrow. Alongside his hard work, Morris was Barnsley’s only consistent goal threat with 10 goal contributions in 26 starts.
The loss of both Morris and Woodrow leaves Barnsley thin in the striking department, selling 2 quality goalscorers.
GEORGE MILLER
One other player that Barnsley let go is George Miller. Miller left Barnsley as a free agent after the reds didn't offer him a new contract.
Miller's time at Barnsley didn't go as expected and as a result of that, his ability might go unnoticed by Barnsley fans. He had a successful loan spell in League Two last season, playing for Walsall.
Here are George Miller’s stats in comparison to Jack Aitchison’s stats, both were on loan in League Two.
Aitchison played for Forest Green, a better side than Walsall, who Miller played for.
It is also worth noting that Aitchison played a deeper role than Miller did.
Obviously, there’s more to players than raw stats but the stats show Miller to have a more successful goal scoring-season.
Following his release from Barnsley, Miller joined Doncaster Rovers.
Miller’s already started the League Two season well, scoring 3 goals and assisting once in his first 7 games a rate of 0.57 goals and assists per 90.
With Barnsley thin in the striker department, it could've been worth keeping Miller.
THE REPLACEMENTS
James Norwood
The first signing of a striker was of former Ipswich striker James Norwood. At the age of 31, Norwood is a very rare signing of experience from Barnsley and the oldest player that Barnsley have signed since 2014.
Under the control of Paul Conway, Barnsley would only sign young and promising players who would later have a high sell-on value. This policy clearly favoured off-the-pitch profit, as opposed to on-the-pitch results. This left a lack of experience on the field, when young players were struggling they didn't have an experienced head to turn to. The lack of experience was part of the Tyke's downfall last season and was evident to Barnsley fans but no action was taken to fix that. Norwood would be a signing immediately disregarded by Paul Conway because signing a 31-year-old on a 1-year contract doesn't have the potential for profit.
This signing certainly pleased Barnsley fans, adding experience, quality and leadership to the side, and a show of competence from the board rarely seen by Barnsley fans.
Slobdodan Tedic
The second striker signing was Solobodan Tedic on loan from Man City. The signing certainly seems like a strange one to Barnsley fans.
The signing is seemingly to develop a relationship with Man City. A strong relationship with the country's best team certainly seems like a handy thing to have. Last season, we brought Claudio Gomes on loan from City. Continuing our relationship with City could lead to us getting more talented loan players in the future.
Tedic comes with a poor record, failing to reach double figures in a single season yet. However, Tedic could be a player to keep an eye on and see how he develops.
DEPARTURES
As well as the departures of Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow, Barnsley sold a number of their most valuable players.
Callum Brittain Brittain was sold to Blackburn rovers for a reported fee of £1.5million.
Callum Brittain vastly impressed in his first season at Barnsley, under Valerian Ismael. Like most Barnsley players last season, Brittain had an underwhelming season in the Championship but he still has undoubtable quality and would definitely be a strong player for Barnsley in League One.
Brittain's replacement
Since the start of the season, Jordan Williams has played in the Right Wing Back role which was previously occupied by Brittain.
Tom Edwards
On deadline day, Barnsley brought in RWB Tom Edwards on loan from Stoke City. Edwards will likely be the first choice Right Back and this could allow Jordan Williams to play as a right-sided centre-back instead of right wing-back.
Edwards played for Gerhard Struber's New York Red Bulls on loan for the last 2 years and was recalled for his loan spell in New York to join Barnsley. Edwards played 3606 minutes for Red Bull in the last two seasons.
Edwards' key attributes include crossing and long passes.
He also is equipped with a long throw which could cause havoc in opposition 18-yard boxes.
Michal Helik
The next permanent transfer for Barnsley was Michal Helik joining Huddersfield Town on a permanent transfer.
Helik had a fantastic 2 years at Barnsley, playing 83 times and scoring 6 goals for the reds. He also made 7 apperances for Poland whilst playing for Barnsley.
Michal won the Barnsley fan's player of the season for 2020/21 and the player's player of the season for 2021/22.
There was interest from top Polish club Lech Poznan however Helik turned down a move to the Polish outfit. He later secured a deadline day move to Huddersfield Town.
Replacements
Barnsley's hierarchy seemingly predicted Helik's departure and brought in his replacements before he was sold.
The reds brought in 2 free agent centre backs in, Robbie Cundy from Bristol City and Conor McCarthy from St Mirren.
Robbie Cundy
Cundy is a defender who will focus on out and out defending first, winning tackles, ariel duels, blocking shots etc. He is also an ariel goalscoring threat from freekicks and corners, scoring 14 goals in his career.
Cundy joined Barnsley on a two-year contract.
Conor McCarthy
The second centre-back Barnsley signed was Conor McCarthy, on a three-year deal.
He joined from St Mirren, who he made 80 appearances for. He also made 60 apperances for Cork City where he made apperances in the Champions League and the Europa League.
Here are Cundy and McCarthy's playing positions.
Callum Styles
Barnsley's final big departure was the loss of Callum Styles, who joined Millwall on a season-long loan and will likely move away permanently next summer.
Styles is a versatile player and can play in a vast number of positions, predominantly CM and left back. At times last season, Styles played as a false 9 striker, defensive mid, centre attacking mid, right and left attacking mid as well as left and right back. In short, every position bar centre back and goalkeeper.
Styles' heatmap from last season shows him playing all across the pitch but predominately on the left side.
Replacements
Once again, Barnsley's hierarchy seemingly anticipated Styles' exit and bought his replacements before he signed. As already discussed, Styles mainly played as a Left Wing Back and as a centre-mid so we will look at the Left-Wing Backs and Centre Mids we signed before Styles left.
Nicky Cadden
Barnsley signed Forest Green Left Wing-Back Nicky Cadden as a free agent. After signing, I highlighted Cadden as the perfect signing for Barnsley and you can read the article from the 13th of July here:
Luca Connell
Barnsley also centre-midfielder signed Luca Connell earlier in the window. He's started the season brightly with a thread of nice performances and already assisting 3 goals.
After his first 2 apperances in pre-season, I was already impressed. You can read my assessment of Connell from pre-season below.
DEADLINE DAY INCOMINGS
As deadline day loomed, Barnsley fans felt that new players were strongly needed. With a goalscoring centre midfielder, Right Wing Back and most of all a striker key areas that additions were needed.
On the last 2 days of the transfer window, Barnsley made 3 signings.
Josh Martin
20-year-old Josh Martin signed for Barnsley on a loan deal from Norwich City, with an option to make the deal permanent.
Martin spent last season on loan at Doncaster Rovers in League One and played very well in a struggling team. He can play on either wing or as an attacking midfield.
Martin describes himself as a "hardworking player who will always look to express his ability, bring goals and assists to the side and add a positive dimension going forward."
Barnsley's 2nd signing in the final days was Tom Edwards, who was discussed earlier.
Adam Philips
Barnsley's final signing of the summer transfer window was 24-year-old central midfielder Adam Philips from Burnley. Philips was the only player that Barnsley spent a transfer fee on this summer, with the rest of our signings being loans and free agents.
According to Lanchasire Live, a number of Championship and League One clubs were interested in signing the central midfielder. Seemingly, Michael Duff's links to Burnley helped pull this deal off and he's a player that Duff has rated for a while.
Philips can take penalty kicks and will look to bring goals and assists to the team. He likes to get forward and play positive passes up the pitch.
Here's Barnsley's squad depth following the close of the transfer window:
*Since the graphic was created, Aaron Leya Iseka left Barnsley on loan
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