As the season draws to a close and the clubs begin to look ahead to next year, there is always talk about those players at a club who are heading towards the end of their contracts. Who deserves a new deal? Who believes they can go on to better themselves? Who just hasn’t made the cut?
Barnsley have secured a playoff place in League One and will be hoping for an immediate return to Championship football via the end-of-season lottery. Whether the men from South Yorkshire succeed in their aim or not may well have a bearing on the futures of the players below whose contracts are expiring this summer.
James Norwood
Norwood joined Barnsley from Ipswich Town last summer on a 12-month deal, as per the club’s official announcement. Since joining, he has contributed 11 goals as The Tykes cemented their spot in the playoffs.
Manager Michael Duff spoke in March regarding discussions already taking place to take up the option on Norwood’s contract of a further 12 months and, following the striker’s form in front of goal, a new deal would seem likely.
🙌 Introducing James Norwood!
🎥 Watch his first interview on iFollow Barnsley.
💬 Read his first words since joining the Reds.
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) July 17, 2022
Luke Thomas
Thomas has been at the club since 2019, spending time on loan at Ipswich and Bristol Rovers during that period. He missed a large chunk of this season after breaking his leg in a training ground incident but has managed 26 League One appearances but has contributed just 2 goals in those matches.
The Barnsley Chronicle quotes manager Michael Duff revealing that the club paid £1 million for Thomas so you would expect the club would be wanting the 24-year-old to stay and live up to that price tag.
Jasper Moon
Moon has been on loan at Burton Albion for the second part of this season, making close to 20 appearances for The Brewers as they successfully avoided relegation.
The Coventry-born centre-back signed a new two-year deal in the summer of 2021 and made close to 30 Championship appearances for The Tykes as they succumbed to relegation but hasn’t featured under current manager Michael Duff.
Whether his performances away from Oakwell will have been enough for a new deal remains to be seen, but with the player not featuring under Duff and being sent out on loan perhaps a contract offer is unlikely.
2⃣0⃣2⃣3⃣
Jasper Moon has signed a new two-year deal with the Reds! 🖋️
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) June 16, 2021
Jordan Helliwell
Rightly or wrongly, the fact that the 21-year-old defender isn’t on the first team page of the club website suggests to me that there will be no new deal for the man who joined the club as a 10-year-old.
Despite impressing in the club’s academy, spending time at Esbjerg fB on loan and joining the first team on occasion it seems that Helliwell’s spell at Barnsley has stalled and he might be best served seeking opportunities elsewhere.
Joe Ackroyd
Ackroyd is described as tough tackling and creative with an eye for goal and is another who has been with the club since he was 10 years old.
The midfielder has spent time on loan in the Czech Republic at MFK Vyškov, at Guiseley and then this season at National League North outfit Buxton. Whether Ackroyd’s experiences away from Oakwell will be enough to earn him a new deal seem unlikely at present.
Aiden Marsh
Youngster Marsh signed a new deal taking him to this summer in September 2020 having already made his first team debut. The 19-year-old scored on his debut at the end of last season as the club fell to relegation.
Marsh had a somewhat unsuccessful loan at Scunthorpe United this season in search of first-team action but I would suggest he will sign a new deal, particularly if the club remain in their current division, and perhaps head out on another loan.
Clarke Odour
Another player who hasn’t enjoyed a loan move as much as they would have hoped, Odour having his loan at Hartlepool United cut short in December with then Pools manager Keith Curle questioning the impact of the Kenyan born winger.
Odour has tasted some regular action for The Tykes in previous seasons under old regimes but he has been restricted to just two substitute appearances this term. Approaching his 24th birthday and presumably desperate for first-team opportunities, it would be no surprise to see a parting of ways this summer.
Writer’s View
Of course we don’t know what is going on behind the scenes at football clubs but some decisions, from the outside at least, seem more clear cut than others. James Norwood and Luke Thomas being examples of those you would anticipate the club wanting to offer a deal to. It is the younger, more inexperienced players that provide the greater difficulty. Have they done enough in training or in their loan moves to impress Michael Duff? Do the club see them developing and challenging for a first team spot? It is an uncertain time for footballers as we approach the end of the season.
