Barnsley would like to re-sign centre-backs Martin Cranie and Lewin Nyatanga for next season, says head coach Lee Johnson.
The Chronicle understands that the Reds have already made decisions on most of their out-of-contract players – which includes the experienced defensive duo – but are waiting until they know what division they will be in next year before offering any deals.
Johnson said: "Cranie and Nyatanga are good defenders with Championship experience and we would like to retain them. But you never know, there might be bigger suitors.
"If we need to replace them, we are confident that we can. A lot of good players want to join us and we're a big club for the division."
Although he has not given up on getting promotion this season, Johnson admits that preparations for next term have been ongoing since he took over at Oakwell in February.
He said: "We have brought in Brian Young as head of recruitment and I've enjoyed working with him. We have a 'Black Box Room' where we've got all the potential signings' details and statistics."
Johnson said he plans to have the under 18s and under 21s playing the same system as the first team next season. He said: "It's been higgledy-piggledy with Mason Holgate playing right-back instead of centre-back and others on loan. I haven't seen Paul Digby or James Bree properly. "I have heard that Digby is a genius and that he is useless but he's probably neither."
