Barnsley’s 2020/21 campaign has seen them rise from near relegation at the end of the previous season (saved only by a final day win against Brentford) to now challenging for promotion to the Premier League.
The Tykes currently sit 6th in the Sky Bet Championship table on 71 points – one place and 5 points clear of Reading. A surge in results under Valerian Ismail has seen the South Yorkshire side become a very formidable play-off force in the Championship.
One of the stars helping forge that surge in results is American striker Daryl Dike. The 20-year-old loanee arrived at the end of the January transfer window and has had a massive impact.
READ: Reporter Nixon blunt on Barnsley star Dike value with half of PL scouting him
Daryl Dike – instant impact as a Tyke
Dike’s arrival on loan from MLS side Orlando City SC has definitely had an impact – the evidence of that is plain to see. Across 14 games for Barnsley, Dike has scored 8 goals with these goals coming at a rate of one per 117 minutes.
This strike rate has definitely brought him to the attention of sides in the Premier League. A bid from one of the ‘Big Six’ Premier League sides of $10m was rejected by Orlando City SC. This rejection hasn’t put off interest in Dike with one writer confirming on Twitter that “more than half of the Premier League’s clubs” had a scout at Barnsley vs Reading on Good Friday.
Going back a little further and TEAMtalk link in interest from Leeds United, Chelsea and others in the Premier League – English football’s top-tier competition.
Barnsley comments on Dike and fee
There was some talk that Barnsley was interested and that they had an option to buy Dike from Orlando City – something touched upon by Sun reporter Alan Nixon on Twitter. Nixon comments that a price of £20m is one where “you could buy Disneyworld for that.”
Buying Dyke and the fee involved is something that Barnsley CEO Dane Murphy speaks about on BBC Sounds during an interview with reporter Andy Giddens. Murphy’s comments on the said broadcast were posted by Giddings (below) as quotes on Twitter.
This one has Murphy letting on that Barnsley know the fee they will have to pay should they wish to keep a hold of Dike whilst also mocking the nature of the speculation from outside as to what the fee is.
#barnsleyfc DM on Daryl Dike: "The Dike transfer fee is an organism that grows on it's own. It's been fun to watch from a far when you actually know what that fee is. It's achieveable for #Barnsley but we have to see where we are at the end of the season."
— Andy Giddings (@SportGids1) April 14, 2021
The following tweet seems to indicate that Murphy thinks that the Tykes could afford a buy out of Dike’s contract even if they were to remain in the Championship next season.
#barnsleyfc DM on Dike add: "I wouldn't say we have to go to the #EPL to achieve the buy out. Now that DD performances have put him in a place were #EPL are interested. He's a 20 year-old kid with the world in front of him."
— Andy Giddings (@SportGids1) April 14, 2021
