Daniel Stendel could begin the League One campaign with almost the same squad as he has taken on this week's trip to Hungary, the Chronicle understands.
German head coach Stendel, who has now been doing the role for a month, is thought to be very pleased with the squad he has inherited and may only make two or three signings before the competitive fixtures begin. It could be one of the quietest off-seasons in the club's history as the Reds have signed at least ten first team players during every summer of the last decade and at least 15 in all of the last four.
There are 15 days remaining until the Reds' first League One game at home to Oxford United on August 4, with the summer transfer window for permanent deals closing five days later – although loans are allowed until the end of that month. The window has been open for 74 days but Barnsley are still the only club in the division not to have added to their first team squad.
They are attempting to make Portsmouth striker Conor Chaplin their first signing of the summer. The two League One clubs have been 'in talks' for several weeks. But Pompey are only willing to let Chaplin go once they have secured a replacement and their efforts to bring in Cheltenham's Mohamed Eisa have stalled this week. Coventry City and Bristol Rovers are also trying to sign Chaplin. The 21-year-old – who has 25 goals in 36 starts and 85 substitute appearances for the Fratton Park club – netted in their friendly at Stevenage on Saturday, his second goal of pre-season.
Barnsley are attempting to strengthen a strikers' department which currently contains Tom Bradshaw and Kieffer Moore – both wanted by other clubs – several untested youngsters and Mamadou Thiam who has scored one penalty in 31 competitive matches.
The Reds are also understood to be on the lookout for a defensive, ball-winning midfielder, as 20-year-old Jared Bird is the only current member of the first team squad for whom that is their natural position. Cameron McGeehan has played there in friendlies while Stendel used left-backs Zeki Fryers and Dani Pinillos in a holding midfield role in the 1-0 success at Salford City on Saturday. An extra winger to provide competition for Wales internationals Ryan Hedges and Lloyd Isgrove – who have both struggled with injuries at Oakwell – is also thought to be on the agenda.
In terms of players going out, in-demand strikers Moore and Bradshaw have spent the week in Hungary with the squad for a training camp, which ends tomorrow. Bradshaw was at Salford on Saturday but did not play due to a minor injury and he has been back in training this week in Hungary. He has been the subject of bids from several Championship clubs, with Millwall and Rotherham United known to have made offers for the Wales international striker. But no bids had matched Barnsley's valuation of the 25-year-old who has scored 20 goals in 88 Reds matches since signing from Walsall in 2016.
Although Bradshaw has just one year left on his contract and could leave for free next summer, Barnsley believe his prowess in League One – in which he has 41 goals in 119 appearances – means he is more valuable to them in their promotion challenge than any of the bids they have received so far.
The Reds are determined to play 'hardball' when it comes to selling players, including Bradshaw's fellow striker Moore who has also been the subject of several bids from clubs such as Preston North End. Barnsley have been offered more than £1million for the tall striker, who scored four goals in 20 matches after joining from Ipswich Town in January, but want a larger fee for a player they paid £750,000 for and who has three years remaining on his contract.
