Hugo Colace has to work on his fitness and footwork but could be the man to replace Josh Scowen in the Barnsley midfield, says head coach Lee Johnson.
Scowen, 22, has been one of the Reds' best players this season but is expected to be out for up to 12 weeks after he injured the medial ligaments in his knee at Altrincham on Saturday. Argentinian Colace, 31, who played 108 games for the Reds between 2008 and 2011, has been on trial at Oakwell this week.
Johnson told the Chronicle: "With the right blend around him I don't see why Hugo couldn't come in for Josh. There have been players throughout history who are not the fastest but can play with fast players around them because they read the game so well.
"I don't want to build it up too much because we've only seen him for a couple of days. But Hugo is a nice lad with an affiliation with the club which is a good start. There's no real timescale and no pressure on him.
"He is looking a little bit short fitness-wise but that is to be expected. He was never rapid anyway so he hasn't lost any legs. We just need to get his footwork up to speed because his mind is still there and his reading of the game is good. We are hoping to play him in a behind-closed-doors friendly next week. I have spoken to him at length about whether he can deal with fast play around him."
Adam Hammill played with Colace at Oakwell previously and arrived alongside him on trial last week before signing a contract and scoring the winner against York on Tuesday. Hammill believes his friend can make a similar impact, adding: "Hugo is a holding midfielder who has a lot of class on the ball and gets stuck in. I think he would fit into this team. He might not be as fit as he was but when you get back on the pitch the fans and your team-mates help you through it. He's played in the top flight in France with Auxerre and you don't do that if you're not a really good player."
Johnson says Hammill and Colace could add to an inexperienced side. The Reds boss said: "We need experienced players to police the dressing room. It doesn't have to be experience in terms of age, it could be experience in terms of playing at a higher level or winning things in the past.
"Being vocal is the most important thing. Conor Hourihane has come back and been really vocal and a leader ever since we worked on communication in training."
Scowen's injury means Barnsley's only central midfielders are Hourihane and Ben Pearson along with youngsters Paul Digby and Brad Abbott, who is yet to feature under Johnson but has been on the bench recently.
The head coach is looking for reinforcements in that area but added: "We're not close to bringing anyone in. We will stick with the two we have got (Ben Pearson and Conor Hourihane) then we have Brad Abbott who has been doing quite well in training and could be ready for his chance."
Johnson described Scowen's injury – which could keep him out until February – as a 'massive blow'. He added: "He's been fantastic for me and for us. He's a great lad and a great little player. We'll miss him dearly. It is a massive blow but it's an opportunity for someone. We'll have to change things around like we have had to do a lot this year. You never know, you might just find a hidden gem through the academy or a different shape or formation that suits everybody in the team."
