Michael Duff on why Michal Helik's move from Barnsley to Huddersfield Town was not straightforward

Having earlier sold Cauley Woodrow, Carlton Morris and Callum Brittain, the Reds’ final significant permanent departure saw Michal Helik join Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town. After a fair bit of negotiation, the Terriers reached an agreement with the Reds, who were conscious that Helik was desperate to play at Championship level at least, to give him the best chance of earning a place in Poland's World Cup squad.

Duff said: "Misha is a difficult one because he had an opportunity of playing in a World Cup."There isn't a lot of human elements in football, and when I was having conversations with the other players it was 'Look, there's a value and if you don't meet it, you are not going.'

"The values were met. With Misha, they (Huddersfield) did meet the value in the end. But when you are having the conversations with him, it was 'I don't think they are going to get there, it's going to cost me a World Cup opportunity'.

"That leaves me a little bit stuck from a human point of view.

"It's a case of 'there's not a lot I can do here.' 'There's your point and the club's point of view and I am sitting in the middle.

"Hopefully now, it works for all parties and he has got his move.

"I wish him all the best. It is never personal in football. They are young people trying to move forward and improve their own career.

"What they don't understand sometimes is that they signed a contract and were quite happy to sign a contract and have got a valuation on them.

"The valuations were met by all the clubs. There were lots and lots of smaller bids to come in for all the players that left and the club turned them all down."

Another deadline-day move alongside that of Helik and Callum Styles saw Clarke Oduor join Hartlepool United on loan, with the midfielder urged by Duff to truly find himself.

"Clarke is a funny one as he's a really good footballer, but needs to find out what he is best at," he added.

"He does brilliant things in brilliant moments, but they are not often enough with a cross, goal or assist at the end of it.

"Hopefully he'll get a proper run of games and can now show everyone what he can do.

"There's no doubt he's a talented player. It's only a loan, so we'll see what happens."