Barnsley are considering letting Nick Townsend leave the club to play regular football and would then need to sign a new back-up goalkeeper.
The 22-year-old goalkeeper is the second longest-serving player at Oakwell after fellow stopper Adam Davies, who has played every minute of every first team game since November 2015.
Head coach Paul Heckingbottom told the Chronicle: "Nick has been frustrated. We couldn't get him gametime last year and we challenged him to be even better. We're actively trying to get him gametime somewhere else, if he can't get it for us. It's possible he could leave."
With teenager Jack Walton the only other goalkeeper at Oakwell, Heckingbottom is expected to bring in a replacement if Townsend leaves. Townsend joined from Birmingham City in 2015 and made his Football League debut for the Reds but has not added to his ten appearances in the last 18 months.
He agrees that he may have to leave Oakwell to play games and told the Chronicle: "It's been frustrating, it would be for anyone. It's all about how you deal with it and it's a massive learning curve for me. I feel I have improved and I have been good in pre-season.
"Davo has been solid and got an international call-up for Wales so it's been difficult to get him out of the team. I am just going to get my head down and focus on myself, whatever happens in the future happens. I need to be playing games. I need to be consistent with everything I do and I need to get games to get my confidence back. I made my debut at Barnsley and I am grateful for that.
"Me and Davo have been here the longest and we've settled in but it's hard for me now because I want to try and get out and play games, not just stay here."
