Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane has provided fans with a player contract update, with several key names nearing the end of their deals.
The Tykes are looking set for another season in League One, with the play-offs likely a step too far for them this season.
With that in mind, the club are starting to look ahead. This includes which players will still be at the club next season.
David McGoldrick, Tennai Watson, Eoghan O’Connell and Marc Roberts are all out of contract come June. While the club have one-year extension options on the contracts of Jack Shepherd, Mael de Gevigney and Adam Phillips.
Hourihane Expecting Contract Conversations Soon
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Hourihane said:
“I think there’ll probably be a couple of conversations around that probably over 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.”
Barnsley Waiting on McGoldrick Decision
One key player who could depart at the end of the season is McGoldrick. Despite turning 38 at the back end of 2025, he has shown how important he can be for the Tykes.
The forward has nine goals in total this season, including seven in his last eight games. He’s currently four goals off the departed Davis Keillor-Dunn as Barnsley’s top scorer this season.
McGoldrick has been a constant threat for Barnsley since becoming the main man after DKD left for Wrexham. He’s averaging 2.3 shots per game and 0.7 shots on target per game, while also receiving an average Sofascore rating of 6.76.
The club are waiting for the forward to decide whether he will continue playing as he approaches 40. Speaking to the Yorkshire Post in the same piece, the 38-year-old 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.”
Even as he approaches the end of his career, McGoldrick has shown he has the quality to score at this level. If Barnsley can keep him, even for one more year, he would be a great addition for the club.
