Premier League duo plot Barnsley star transfer swoop, Everton face competition for £30m-rated ace

Valerien Ismael's side are back in action on Friday evening, when they take on fellow play-off place chasers Reading at Oakwell. Fifth placed Barnsley are currently two points clear of Reading, who lie in sixth, and the outcome of the game could prove highly significant in determining their standings in the final table.

Discussing his plan for the rest of campaign, the Tykes boss revealed: "We need four wins from the last eight games. We have to stay focused.

“The next game against Reading is against a direct opponent so everything is in the right direction.

“The top two is really really far away. We take the reality. We are fifth with 64 points and a play-off ticket means you need 75 points at least so we need four wins from eight.

“If you want to get in the play-offs you will need maybe 75 points, if you see the statistics of the last years.”

Here are today's biggest transfer stories and the latest team news involving Barnsley and the rest of the Championship, as the build-up to the upcoming weekend's begins continues: