, Wigan set sights on Barnsley captain

Wigan set sights on Barnsley captain

Newly-promoted Wigan Athletic are chasing the signature of Barnsley’s star midfielder Conor Hourihane, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon.

The 25-year-old Tykes skipper had an integral role in his side’s successful 2015/16 campaign, leading Barnsley to glory in both the EFL Trophy final and League One playoff final at Wembley Stadium.

The Irishman’s exploits however have attracted the attention of Gary Caldwell’s Wigan, with The Latics supposedly looking to secure a deal that would bring Hourihane to the DW Stadium ahead of the 16/17 Championship season.

Hourihane initially joined Barnsley in a £250,000 June 2014 switch from League Two side Plymouth, for whom Hourihane featured 53 times during the 2013/14 campaign.

The Irishman impressed significantly in his debut season with Barnsley, making 53 appearances whilst netting 14 goals in all competitions, most notably bagging six goals in seven games between 19 August and 20 September 2014.

A difficult opening to the 2015/16 season saw Barnsley seemingly entrenched in a battle to avoid relegation to League Two, however a surging run of form beginning with a 4-2 win over Blackpool on 19 December saw Hourihane’s Tykes storm into the final League One playoff spot come season’s end.

The inspired form of Hourihane, alongside fellow starlets Adam Hammill, Sam Winnall and Lloyd Isgrove in 2016 was enough to spur The Tykes to promotion to the Championship.

Now at season’s end, significant interest in Barnsley’s skipper has come in the form of fellow League One promotion winners Wigan, with The Latics hoping to energise their midfield ranks by securing Hourihane’s signature according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

Capturing Hourihane would be a huge boost to Gary Caldwell’s side, who will be looking to make an impact in the Championship having secured the League One title in emphatic style last season.

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