BARNSLEY have lined up a move for Blackburn Rovers centre-half Conor O'Riordan – with a busy end to the transfer window expected at the Oakwell outfit.

O'Riordan, who impressed on loan at Doncaster Rovers in the first half of last term, is expected to seal a return to Yorkshire shortly.

The 22-year-old will join on a season-long loan with the Reds having an option to make the deal permanent.

On the outgoing front, defender Kacper Lopata (pictured) has completed a permanent move away from the club – to Polish outfit Lechia Gdansk – while Josh Earl is a late-window target for League One rivals Blackpool.

Barnsley target Connor O'Riordan spent the first half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Doncaster Rovers.

placeholder image — Barnsley target Connor O'Riordan spent the first half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Doncaster Rovers.

The Reds are also working behind the scenes to bring in another striker, while the club are also hoping to move on several squad players, most notably Georgie Gent – who has interest – and Kelechi Nwakali with the future of senior professionals Corey O'Keeffe and Jack Shepherd also appears uncertain.

Crewe-born O'Riordan joined Doncaster last summer on a season-long loan. But an injury crisis at his parent club invoked a break clause and Blackburn recalled him at the start of this year.

Lopata has signed a three-year deal with Gdansk.

The centre-back, who was born in Poland but moved to Bristol with his family as a youngster, had loan spells at four different clubs during his time with the Reds, who were keen to move him on this summer window.

Barnsley centre-half Kacper Lopata, who has joined Polish outfit Lechia Gdansk. Picture courtesy of Barnsley FC.

He was out of contract next summer.

Lopata, who spent an earlier spell in his career in Yorkshire at Sheffield United, joined the Reds on a four-year deal in the summer of 2023 but failed to establish himself at Oakwell, making just 16 appearances.

In his maiden season at the club, he made several appearances early in the 2023-24 campaign before sustaining a fractured collarbone in the autumn.

The 24-year-old moved on a season-long loan to SPL side Ross County in August 2024.

He previously spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Port Vale, having joined on deadline day in the 2024 winter window.

The defender linked up with Bristol Rovers at the start of last season but was recalled by Barnsley from his season-long loan spell in the new year before heading back out on loan to another League Two outfit in Walsall.