Barnsley stayed quiet on transfer deadline day but they may bring in several players when the emergency loan window opens on Monday.
The Reds currently have four loan players – one short of the maximum allowed in matchday squads – while manager Danny Wilson has said he does not want to carry six. He may have extra space before the loan window closes in late March if he does not agree to extend the deals of Alex Kiwomya, currently a Red until March 3, and Ben Pearson, whose final game is on Saturday. It is hoped Manchester United will let central midfielder Pearson – who Wilson says is 'the first name on the team-sheet' – stay at Oakwell for the rest of the campaign.
Wilson said: "We still want to add to our squad. We could get one or two players in the emergency loan window. It's possible we could be active next week."
Barnsley's only deal on Monday's transfer deadline day was to extend the loan of George Waring from Stoke until the end of the season, with other possible deals collapsing as late as 10pm.
Wilson said: "We came close to more permanent and loan signings but we were thwarted. It wasn't particularly frustrating although it would have been nice to add to the squad. The emergency loan window opens next week and the players we wanted didn't get clubs. I think they wanted higher or bigger clubs but they haven't got them so we can try to step in again. It helps that we are getting higher in the league now."
Loan moves for John O'Sullivan and Tom Pope are still possible, the Chronicle understands.
Barnsley made an unsuccessful bid for Blackburn Rovers winger O'Sullivan last month, with the Lancashire club's manager Gary Bowyer reluctant to let him go during their transfer embargo. The 21-year-old has now signed a new 18-month deal at Ewood Park but the Reds, who would like to bring in a wide midfielder, will monitor him and could move if he becomes available for loan.
Wilson said last week, ahead of the game against Port Vale on Saturday, that he wanted to recruit their 'targetman' striker Pope by Monday. In response, Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite accused the Reds boss of trying to unsettle Pope and a text he sent Wilson has been printed in the Stoke Sentinel. It read: 'Hi Danny. To give some credibility re your press conference, there should at least have been some contact from Barnsley to myself re Pope."
Pope will remain a Barnsley target for the summer but the good performances of Waring up front in recent games have reduced the chances of a loan move.
Wilson denied that he was interesting in re-signing Liverpool's Ryan McLaughlin who was on loan at Oakwell last season. Peter Ramage is the other current loan player.
