Barnsley have an agreement for Kilian Ludewig to play the remainder of the season, and are close to agreeing the same for Sami Radlinger while Gerhard Struber was set to talk to Kenny Dougall late this week.
The Reds are due to play until July, with several of their players’ contracts running out at the end of this month, so they are hoping to extend the deals for the rest of the campaign. Ludewig, the Germany under 20 full-back, has been on loan since January from Red Bull Salzburg, head coach Struber’s former club.
Struber told the Chronicle: “I had a talk with the sports director in Salzburg and he allowed that Kili play here until the last game in Barnsley. Right now, Kili’s circumstance is clear.”
Radlinger has been the first choice goalkeeper throughout the season when fit and, after recovering from an injury during lockdown, Struber hopes he signs an extension to his initial one-year deal. Struber said: “We are in a good exchange with Sami and, for the club, it is very, very important that he stays until the last game. “Sami told me ‘yes of course’ that he will stay for the final nine games. Contracts are not a big topic in Barnsley, we are clear with the players. “We have had clear discussions for the last few months and the boys are all ready to help the club in a difficult situation.”
Midfielder Dougall has barely featured under Struber but the head coach wants to keep the Australian for the final nine matches. Struber said: “Kenny is a special topic. I will speak with him and, after that, I have more information. “I hope that Kenny also stays until the end of the season, then it is another question. He is a very important player. He has a very good energy. He has not had an easy time with no gametime but he has shown me he is very professional and hard-working.”
Dani Pinillos and Mamadou Thiam, who have not featured under Struber, are not back in training and will be released as normal at the end of June.
