Barnsley will focus on signing players from English clubs when the transfer window opens in eight days, says Valerien Ismael.
With the changes in the rules due to the UK leaving the European Union on January 1, the Reds will be less free to sign overseas players as has been their policy in recent windows. A new points-based system is set to be introduced, meaning that players can only join English clubs if they have accrued the right number of points based on their appearances for club and country and the level they have played at. Barnsley are unlikely to have been able to sign current centre-backs Michal Helik and Mads Andersen under those rules, although there is a panel for disputed cases.
Forest Green Rovers centre-back Liam Kitching and Norwich City striker Carlton Morris are among the Reds’ targets for the upcoming window.
Ismael told the Chronicle: “If you see the new rules with Brexit, it will be more English players. That will be easier.
“We have a lot of talks with the board to see what we need. Firstly we need players who are ready to come to us directly.
“I don’t want to have a discussion about papers or politics or anything like that.
“For the moment, the main focus is on the English market.
“We are on the right way with that.
“It is not easy because now we have a philosophy and a clear profile on every position. We will take our time but we are close, we know our targets in each position. It is not my job to control the finance but I am hoping that, shortly, we will have new players.”
Ismael and chief executive Dane Murphy have both said they are hoping deals will be done early in the window, with a striker and centre-back the priorities. Ismael wants competition for top-scorer Cauley Woodrow as well as an extra defender as he currently has a back three of Helik, Michael Sollbauer and Andersen with no fit back-up.
