Interest from Premier League clubs made Marley Watkins submit a transfer request last week but he insists he is fully committed to Barnsley's play-off push.
The Reds confirmed last week that they had rejected a request to leave from the Welsh forward, who has now given his reasons in an exclusive interview with the Chronicle. He says he is 'not sulking' and is focused on proving he can be a 20-goal-per-season Championship forward.
Watkins said: "The only reason I put the transfer request in is because I was aware of Premier League interest. My head was turned because it is every player's dream to play at that level and I thought it was a really good opportunity for me. I thought putting in a transfer request might get me to the Premier League or at least to hear what the other club had to say. An opportunity like that doesn't come around every day.
"It wasn't like I just put the request in because I wanted to get out of the club, I love it at Barnsley and I'm happy here. I wouldn't have gone to a club in the Championship, because I'm already at a Championship club that is doing really well and has a chance of going up.
"But Barnsley rejected my transfer request and I had a really honest conversation with Hecky (head coach Paul Heckingbottom) about it. I believe one club made a bid for me but Barnsley rejected it.
"It's all over now and my focus is 100 per cent on Barnsley FC because I really do love the club, the fans and the staff. No one can question my commitment to Barnsley, and I think that has been shown in my performances in the last couple of games since the request.
"I'm not sulking. I am going to give everything I have from now until the end of the season."
Watkins, 26, is out of contract in the summer and is currently in negotiations with the Reds about extending his deal. He said: "There have been talks since last summer and hopefully we will sit down for more talks very soon. Obviously, now I know there is Premier League interest, I would be stupid not to see if that is still there in the summer. But I definitely won't rule out staying at Barnsley.
"You never know, Barnsley might be in the Premier League next season – that would be the absolute dream. Stranger things have happened in football and we have the team to do it."
After the departures of Sam Winnall and Conor Hourihane during the January transfer window, Watkins is now the top-scorer at Oakwell with six goals this season as well as seven assists.
He was played up front on his own in the 3-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday and hopes to continue as a striker after playing mostly on the right wing since signing for Barnsley from Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2015.
"It was a shame the game went the way it did, with us going 2-0 down then going down to ten men," said Watkins, who has 14 goals in 70 Reds games.
"But I thought I showed some good signs. I was signed as a striker and I played up front at the start of this season when we were the top-scorers in the league.
"Some people look at my record and think I am not a goal-scorer but I have been on the right wing a lot. I feel I am a 20-goal-a-season striker at Championship level and hopefully I will have a run of games up front for the rest of the season.
"But Hecky is a brilliant manager and I trust him, so I will play wherever he wants me to play. I have never seen anything like the connection Hecky has with the fans and he's doing great things for this club. I am excited to be a part of it."
Watkins is hoping the loss of Hourihane, Winnall, Sam Morsy and James Bree will not hinder Barnsley's progress and he has been impressed with the players signed to replace them. He said: "We have lost a few good players but the lads we have brought in look quality in training. It will take a bit of time to gel but I know we will. We have shown all season that we can compete against the best teams in this league."
