Conor Hourihane has delayed contract talks with Barnsley until the summer as the Daily Mail believe the midfielder wants a move elsewhere.
The shelved contact negotiations will be a huge encouragement to Championship rivals Aston Villa and Scottish duo Celtic and Rangers, as all three teams have been heavily linked with Hourihane.
The 25-year-old made a name for himself at Plymouth Argyle where he made over 100 appearances after being released from Ipswich Town.
The Irish midfielder then joined Barnsley in 2014 for a £250,000 fee and has gone on to play over 100 games for the Tykes, as well as scoring an impressive 29 goals to date. Hourihane was a driving force in Barnsley’s double assault as they won the League One play-offs and the EFL Trophy last season.
His form has continued this season into the Championship where he has played a pivotal role in Barnsley’s climb to the top-half of the table. He was also named the Championship player of the month for September.
It is now believed the shelved contract talks is to entice a move away from Oakwell. With the Sunderland academy product’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, it now leaves the South Yorkshire club in a difficult position whether to cash-in next month or risk letting him leave for free in the summer.
The three interested clubs are not short of money and perhaps may persuade the Tykes to cash-in for their captain. Aston Villa, who are linked with nearly every player in the Football League, are not afraid to spend. The West Midlands club spent over £50 million in the summer.