Barnsley FC transfer news: Michael Duff on Jack Walton and Harry Isted speculation, impact Matty Wolfe injury could have on plans and why he tries to be 'evasive' in January

A potentially season-ending knee injury picked up by Matty Wolfe in Saturday's in-house friendly has muddied the waters but Duff says the club has "a number of bids" in for players and interest in Walton, amongst others.

Experience has taught him not to talk openly about transfers until the ink is dry, however.

"There's been interest in Jack and you won't have to wait long (to find out what happens)," explained Duff. "We have to find replacements and if it's not right for the club, we won't do it."

Asked about a potential swap with Hatters goalkeeper Harry Isted, he admitted "it's a potential," adding: "Nothing's done yet."

The loss of midfielder Wolfe, who picked up an injury in Saturday's training game which was opened to spectators who had travelled to Exeter City for last week's League One game called off disgracefully late because of a frozen pitch, further complicates matters.

"Matty Wolfe looks like he got a bad one in the in-house game on Saturday," said Duff. "We're still waiting on the scan but it does look like he'll be out for the season if it's what we think it is.

"(It was) innocuous, it wasn't even a tackle, just a football incident.

"Marshy felt his hamstring during the game.

"Potentially it changes priorities, changes our thinking, because Wolfey's an important player with Josh Benson being out for a while as well.

"We're looking at whether we do something but whether we do or not it's late in the window so you never know."

While Duff's evasiveness about specific transfers is frustrating for supporters keen to know what will happen before Tuesday's 11pm deadline, he explained the thinking behind it.

"If we sit and talk about names and rumours I'll be sat here until the window shuts," he said.

"We've put bids for players, we're interested in lots of players but there's a lot of nonsense out there. Until anyone signs on the dotted line it's not something I'm prepared to get involved with.

"It's evasive but it's not fair on players either because sometimes players fail medicals.

"f we have an interest in a player and I announce it and he fails a medical it's not fair on the opposing club or the player involved. It puts it out in the public domain where someone elsel might not pick it up on a medical.

"We had it earlier in the season where a player failed our medical but we never put his name out there. He's gone on to play elsewhere.

"We are trying to do a couple of things but you can't be confident on any deal whether it's a medical or you get gazumped at the last second. There's so many moving parts to get a transfer done.

"We had it right at the start of the window, a deal was all agreed, he got in a Championship first-team and the deal was off."

Barnsley are back in League One action at Oxford United on Wednesday.