Barnsley have recruited Northern Ireland youth International Bayley McCann, as per a report from the Barnsley Chronicle.
Barnsley are yet to replace Michael Duff after his move to Swansea City but that hasn’t stopped the Tykes from adding some new faces to their ranks. Kacper Lopata signed prior to Duff’s exit and defensive prodigy Jack Shepherd has linked up with the academy from Pontefract Colleries.
It seems Shepherd isn’t the only new face in the academy either, with the Barnsley Chronicle reporting another new arrival.
They state that 17-year-old Bayley McCann has also joined the club. He had been on the books at Peterborough United, making the bench for their FA Cup tie against Salford City in November 2022 while also earning call-ups to Northern Ireland’s U16s and U18s squads.
It is not clear whether McCann had left Peterborough United at the end of his contract or if Barnsley paid a fee for his services. There has been no public announcement from either club with the new report simply saying he ‘was previously at’ the Posh.
McCann is the son of Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann, who played 44 times for Barnsley from 2006 to 2008.
Work still ongoing
The lack of a manager won’t exactly help Barnsley’s preparations for the new season but it is encouraging to see that there is still some movement on the transfer front despite the fact there isn’t a boss in place.
Low-risk signings of promising players like Lopata, Shepherd and McCann ensure that there is still business being done ahead of the new season. The Tykes aren’t getting too bogged down by the loss of Duff and some more new additions show work is still being done to prepare for the 2023/24 campaign.
That said, the importance of getting a new manager in place sooner rather than later can’t be downplayed. Hopefully, the new no.1 will be in place soon as the Tykes gear up for another promotion push.
