Adam Jackson accepts he will ‘probably be leaving’ Barnsley when the retained list is announced while Ryan Hedges admits he needs to be playing more regularly than he has this season if he is to fulfil his international ambitions.

Both players are out of contract, having turned down new deals near the start of this season, and could be released by the club after playing supporting roles in the promotion from League One. The retained list is expected to be announced next week.

Centre-back Jackson was first choice when fit for most of last season in the Championship but has spent the majority of this campaign on the bench due to the form of Ethan Pinnock and Liam Lindsay. The 24-year-old is understood to be in talks with former Barnsley head coach Paul Heckingbottom over a move to Hibernian.

Jackson told the Chronicle: “I will probably be leaving. “It’s been difficult because I got a good run of games last season and did quite well but this season has not been the same. I have to hold my hands up and say Linds and Eth have been brilliant. “I have no complaints, in that respect. In the games I’ve watched, I have struggled to see a pair as good as those two. Fair play to them.” 

Wales international winger Hedges has started just five games this season and is now out of contract.  The 23-year-old winger has played 59 games for Barnsley after arriving from Swansea City in January 2017, but three quarters of his league appearances have been as a substitute.  

Hedges told the Chronicle: “We will have to see what happens in the coming days and weeks. I need to see what the club is thinking. If my time is up, I have thoroughly enjoyed myself at Barnsley but, if I can carry on, hopefully we can kick on and replicate the first season I was here in the Championship when we won a lot of games and finished quite high up.

"This time next year it will be the European Championships and my ultimate aim is to be there with Wales so I need to be playing games, with Barnsley or someone else, to achieve that goal.” 

Winger Lloyd Isgrove is also out of contract this summer and is expected to be released, having made only two substitute appearances in the league this season before being loaned out to play-off semi-finalists Portsmouth who are yet to play him.