Barnsley FC head coach Poya Asbaghi provides a key update on defender Michal Helik

The 26-year-old, contracted with the Reds until the end of next season, has been sidelined since picking up the injury in training ahead of the home game with Reading on April 2.

Helik had been expected to be in the fray after the club's Easter programme, but is now not unlikely to be fit for Barnsley's remaining three matches, starting in Friday night's derby at Huddersfield Town.

Faulire to pick up three points will relegate the Reds to the third tier for the third time in nine seasons on a night when the hosts can secure play-off participation with victory themselves.

Asbaghi said: "Helik is still not recovered. we were hoping he would be in a better stage than he is. The probabilities for him to play in the rest of the season is really low. It’s a big blow.

"He knows the situation and where we are as a club. At the point, when he got the injury, he was really disappointed. He is a fighter and he wants to help the team.

"So of course, he has not been the happiest, but that is football.

"Even if he is not likely not to be able to be play anymore this season, I do not think we have to be so worried about him in terms of the pre-season or these things."

And on whether Helik has played his final game in Reds colours, with the defender fully expected to attract interest from clubs in the close season as one of the club's saleable assets in the highly likely event of relegation, he added: "What happens in the summer with players in and out, of course things will happen.

"But it is really difficult to say exactly which players will be on the move and stay. There will be a time for that."

Loan midfielder Claudio Gomes is a doubt for the short trip to Huddersfield, while Aapo Halme is again missing. Josh Benson is available.

Asbaghi said: "There is a question mark over Claudio as he is not feeling so well. But still, we are not ruling him out of the game. Let's see how he responds during the day.

"Aapo Halme is becoming better and better, but he is still not training with the team."