Isaac Christie-Davies and Michal Helik are present and future for Barnsley FC

It has been a busy week of activity at Oakwell, with Jacob Brown leaving the club for Stoke City and Polish central defender Michal Helik and ex-Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Isaac Christie-Davies joining the Reds.

Struber is hopeful of up to three more incoming arrivals in the run-up to October’s deadline.

But while imposing centre-half Helik will be propelled straight into first-team contention, the club will adopt a more patient approach with Christie-Davies.

Struber said: “Michal is a central defender with experience and from the physical side, he will bring part of the game which is very necessary. He is also a top character with a top mentality and is helpful from the first second.

“We researched six or seven months who is the right centre- back for us. Michal is a player who I watched in many games.

“When we speak about set-pieces, we are a small team and Michal gives us the right height. It is important we are clear in our defensive structure from set-pieces and can also score goals.

“I think Isaac is a player with a big talent and very good technical skills. We will give him the right time for development in my style and get him in good shape. In the last few months, he was injured and he had not the right time for training and now this is the first step for him here at Barnsley.

“I hope he can become closer every week.”

Struber admits to being philosophical regarding the sale of Brown, accepting that Barnsley’s status as one of the smaller clubs – and with one of smallest budgets – in the Championship means that their leading players will be targets for other bigger outfits.

The Austrian said: “It is not easy, but the good thing is we have good replacements in our squad and I trust my squad.

“At the moment, we look for new players and I think we are in a very good situation this week with two new players and I hope we can find, in the next few weeks, one or two or three new players to help us for our next goals.

“We are in an exchange with many players at the moment to see what is the best for us. We have no stress at the moment.”

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James Mitchinson