Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane provides contract update regarding Reds players

David McGoldrick, Tennai Watson, Eoghan O'Connell and Marc Roberts are among those whose deals expire, while the club have one-year options in their favour on the contracts of Jack Shepherd, Mael de Gevigney and Adam Phillips.

Hourihane, whose side visit Leyton Orient this weekend, said: "I think there'll probably be a couple of conversations around that probably over the international break.

"We've got a busy seven games now on the way, starting with Leyton Orient before the international break.

"We'll assess where we are and kind of go from there. And no doubt then there will be one or two people wondering about contracts and what not and how that looks.

"And they too will be involved in conversations then as well."

McGoldrick, who has notched seven goals in his last eight Reds' appearances, turned 38 last November and is yet to make a decision regarding whether he will play on for another season.

The former Sheffield United striker, in a rich vein of form of late, said: "I don't want football to retire me, I want to retire from football.

"When the time is right, I will do. Not for the playing style; I feel like I can play for a few more years. That's down to me and the way I look after myself."

On the recent renaissance of McGoldrick, who has scored 12 goals in all competitions so far in 2025-26 after joining last summer, Hourihane commented: "Didzy's a top pro and he looks after his body consistently well.

"And he knows what his body needs right now at his age. So whatever he needs right now to make sure he's OK for Saturday's is a big, big priority for us. He's in a real good vein of form.

"In a moment where we've really needed him as well, he's stood up and showed the class that he's got consistently and will consistently show that as well. He's been a big, big plus.

"He feels like he's the vocal point and people in the team are kind of feeding off him and his experience and his intensity."

Hourihane has confirmed that Wolves loan winger Tawanda Chirewa has suffered 'a little setback' in his injury rehabilitation and remains at his parent club.

Chirewa, 22, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Huddersfield Town, has made just one appearance since signing for the Reds, a late cameo from the bench in the game against Stevenage on January 31.

Meanwhile, Hourihane believes it was the best decision for all parties that Barry Cotter moved on with the Irish defender having joined Derry City on a permanent basis after spending the first half of the campaign on loan at Notts County.

The Reds chief said: "It didn't work for him at Notts County and he’s gone to Derry. We wish him all the very, very best. But it's someone that wasn't in the plans from the summer or to bring back in January."