Barnsley FC CEO on Mads Andersen, contracts, Callum Styles and January transfer window

In the final analysis, the biggest development surely revolves around someone who has stayed instead.

Mads Andersen is a captain who leads by example if not necessarily words.

Oakwell’s great Dane is a modest, low-maintenance individual. A top-class centre-half who is far too good for League One, but is not the sort to go around saying it.

Barnsley rebuffed offers for the defender in the summer window and fortunately, they have an element of protection. His deal runs out next June, but the club have an option in their favour to extend.

As they do with Brad Collins and Jordan Williams, whose deals also expire in 2023. Among those whose contracts end with no clause are Luke Thomas and Jack Aitchison.

Chief executive officer Khaled El-Ahmad said: “Mads has more than a year.

“There's always been interest in Mads since I arrived. There was interest this summer and in January and I wouldn't expect anything less.

“He is a great person and his performance on the field speaks for itself. And most importantly, it is how he is in training and off the field.

"There's ongoing discussions (with players). It is not just players with a year left, we are looking at the squad as a whole both for this season, next season and even trying to look further along to create the best possible balance within the squad.”

Of the ‘big-hitters’ who left in the summer, El-Ahmad, without going into specifics, said that the club retain a financial interest in Woodrow, Morris, Brittain and Helik.

The situation with Styles is a bit more complicated.

Styles’ old deal was due to expire next summer with Barnsley having a year’s option until 2024.

With the player making it known that he wanted to play in the Championship this season to boost his international prospects – but with no bids reaching Barnsley’s valuation – the Oakwell outfit agreed fresh terms with the midfielder, whose new contract now runs until 2025 before loaning him out to Millwall.

There are clauses at the end of that loan deal, which protect Barnsley, El-Ahmad insists.

He added: “There are various clauses, but it depends what happens, but we control the situation as it protects our interests.

“Styles had two years left on the (old) contract. There was some interest, although we thought there would be even more after he played against England.

"None of the offers we received reached our valuation. The discussions with him were to protect his value and it was quite clear he would lose his (international) slot with Hungary. He even played when they beat Germany.

“We said ‘ok, how do we protect you and make you happy? And also we thought how big an effect was Styles in our squad and our performance in League One.

"Styles is a good player but we had belief in the players we already had in the squad. We said this was the best way of keeping everybody happy and we protect our interest and support the player’s development.

“It's a good thing to show players coming here that we think about the whole package, so we extended the contract and he went out on loan.

“We did (offered) the same with Morris and Helik. They had a year left and did not want to extend. Essentially it was the best thing for all parties.”

Should things continue as they are doing, then Barnsley supporters will not have a particularly long wish-list when the winter transfer window opens in the new year.

Alongside keeping Andersen and other key players, bringing in another striking option will be the top item.

While finances are tight, the board did bid £300,000 for a striker in the summer. If the ‘right project’ materialises in January and particularly if Barnsley are still doing well, then money could well be available again.

El-Ahmad said: "In a transfer window, anything can happen and it's an ongoing discussion on how we can best be competitive.

"There's the financial responsibility. It won't say this player will be sold, that has not been discussed at all.

“There's always the potential of ins and outs, but it will be an assessment of how we are doing, discussions with the manager and looking from the financial perspective and if we have been able to extend players contracts or not.

“There's many moving parts in this.

“In the summer, what I think is quite exciting with what the board have shown is if we come with the right project and investment in terms of a player, they showed they were willing to back us up and I do believe that they will back us up again.”