Barnsley goalkeeper Sami Radlinger returned to Germany hours after his signing was announced as his wife went into labour.
The 26-year-old Austrian is expected to return to Oakwell next week after welcoming a baby with his wife Sila Sahin, a German actress.
Radlinger signed this week after leaving Hannover96 where he previously worked with Reds head coach Daniel Stendel. The length of the contract for the six foot five Austria under 21 international is yet to be announced.
Stendel told the Chronicle: “It was clear that the baby could come in the first week of training but he still wanted to come. He got the news on Tuesday night and flew back on Wednesday. When all is OK, he will come back to Barnsley.”
Radlinger will compete with fellow new signing Brad Collins. Stendel said: “We needed two goalkeepers who could play every game and have real competition. It’s a long season at a higher level. It is normal that a goalkeeper will have ups and downs so you need another goalkeeper there with the quality to come in.”
Radlinger began his career with Austrian club Ried but Hannover signed him as a teenager. He mainly played for the German club’s second team, but Stendel gave him his only first team games in the 2016/17 season when he was Hannover manager.
He has been loaned out to Rapid Vienna and Nuremberg, where he mainly played for the reserves, as well as Norwegian club Brann for whom he made 22 appearances last year.
Stendel said: “He is 26 which would be a young goalkeeper in Germany but in Barnsley it is an old man. The goalkeeper game in the UK is so much different to other countries. But he will bring a lot of abilities that we need, sweeping and playing from the back – but the main thing is that he will save shots. He has a lot of potential but he has not played much.”
