Barnsley boss Conor Hourihane on Reds being 'really aggressive' in second half of transfer window - but in a different way

That’s the clear aim of the hands-on Reds head coach.

The Oakwell outfit’s decision to activate a clause in Murphy Cooper’s season-loan deal to allow him to go back to parent club QPR represented a surprise to some. His replacement has arrived swiftly.

Even though Cooper – now set to move to Sheffield Wednesday - had been an ever-present, Hourihane believes it was the right decision, in terms of getting a new profile of first-choice keeper – the Reds had already got their ‘ducks in a row’ by lining up ex-Huddersfield Town loanee Owen Goodman – and in terms of finances as well.

Loan arrival Goodman, named in the League Two Team of the Season last term following his exploits at Wimbledon, will be handed an immediate debut in Saturday’s home game against Blackpool.

On bringing in the 22-year-old from Crystal Palace, Hourihane said: "We’re delighted to bring Owen in for the remainder of the season.

"He’s a goalkeeper with real presence, maturity beyond his years and a hunger to keep improving.

"Owen has already shown his quality in senior football, and we believe this is a place where he can continue to grow while making us stronger as a team.

"Obviously Owen was let go at Huddersfield, but he really had a fantastic time last year at Wimbledon. He's a different profile to Murphy. He's big. physical and dominant in terms of stature."

Cooper’s loan return followed on from the club ending the loan deals of Caylan Vickers and Jake Rooney.

Squad player Neil Farrugia has also moved onto Dundee United, while midfielder Jon Russell has linked up with Mansfield Town for the remainder of 2025-26. Keeper Jackson Smith has also joined Grimsby Town, while defender Kacper Lopata has signed for Walsall on loan.

All of the above decisions have provided Hourihane with valuable room for manoeuvre to bring in more signings, which will be needed during a heavily-congested final three-and-a-half months of the season with the Reds’ playing catch-up in terms of their league fixtures in a big way.

On the incoming front, former Wrexham defender Eoghan O’Connell has arrived. Completing the loan acquisition of Goodman has now covered bases at the back, according to the Reds chief.

Further forward, Barnsley are requiring another wide option for sure, with youngster Fabio Jalo, only just back from long-term injury, likely to head out on loan. They have been linked with young Middlesbrough winger Charlie Lennon.

Aggressive in terms of moving on certain players they may have been, but Barnsley aren’t so keen to part company with their leading lights.

One, in the shape of Reyes Cleary, certainly showcased his talents in front of a nationwide audience at Anfield on Monday.

Chairman Neerav Parekh confirmed this week that the club had turned down four approaches from two Championship clubs already this month.

Hourihane is understandably hoping that sense of resolve remains the same regarding him and others, including Davis Keillor-Dunn and that the narrative is about incomings instead.

The Reds boss, who confirmed that fresh signings are likely to be a mixture of loans and permanent additions, said: "I think what's really important from now to the end of the window is hopefully that we're going to be talking about players in rather than players out.

"We have been really aggressive in getting people out to make sure that there's funds available to bring people in. We've done that now.

"I think from a defensive point of view now, with the shake-up of bringing on O'Connell in and Goodman, that will be that from that point of view.

"I think the priority now is the top of the pitch to really help the load on Reyes. Currently we don't have any kind of fit right-winger or available right-winger.

"Obviously we have Fabio, but in my opinion, he's not capable right now of getting on to the League One level and he needs a loan himself probably to get games under his belt.

“So right now, we need bodies at the top end of the pitch, there's no getting away from that.”

Retaining Cleary will also be imperative, although Hourihane accepts that talk about him will not go away between now and February 2.

On the winger, he said: “Potentially, there will be probably more approaches. In terms of him being gone, I hope that’s obviously not the case and he will be a Barnsley player at the end of this window.

"He’s a player who has had a lot of coverage in the past two months, enhanced by his consistent performances and that naturally brings interest.

"But everybody’s hope in the football club is that he’s here at the end of the window.”