Two of Lincoln City’s new Championship rivals have been linked with Barnsley forward and hot property Reyes Cleary.
Derby County and Bristol City are the clubs in question, as they prepare to join a whole host of second-tier outfits chasing the Tykes man.
According to Football League World, the above-mentioned duo are the latest clubs set to join what is expected to be one of the transfer pursuits of the summer.
We have been in this situation before. Interest in Cleary in January was rife, and was heightened following his fantastic showing in the FA Cup against Liverpool. The Robins were linked at the end of the winter window, alongside Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers. He took the opening two months of the season to settle in South Yorkshire, waiting until October to start a League One encounter for the first time.
But when he did, Cleary’s impact was immediate. Scoring 25 minutes into his full league debut away at Wycombe Wanderers, he made national headlines with a stunning strike against Bradford City. After picking the ball up inside his own half, the 22-year-old spotted Bantams goalkeeper Sam Walker off his line and scored an incredible goal from 60 yards out. In just three November encounters, his five-goal contributions were enough to win the EFL’s Young Player of the Month award.
Despite Barnsley’s inconsistent campaign, particularly during the second half of the year, Cleary continued to be a rare bright spark. He stormed past the 20-goal involvement mark with two months of the season remaining, before scoring what is likely to be his final goal for his current side away at Northampton Town in their penultimate league match of the campaign. With 23 goal involvements this season across all competitions, Cleary had a league-high 13 assists in his first year since joining from West Bromwich Albion.
How Likely Are These Teams To Sign Cleary?
Bristol City’s links to the highly-rated prospect seem a little premature, given the Robins remain without a manager. Michael Skubala has been linked with the vacant position at Ashton Gate in the past week, while Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has also been on Bristol City’s radar. However, they appear no closer to appointing a successor to Roy Hodgson, who spent the final weeks of the season in interim charge.
The same thinking applies to Blackburn Rovers, who are also without a manager after Michael O’Neill revealed he won’t become Rovers new permanent head coach this week. That leaves the likes of Derby and Sheffield United in a stronger position, with the Blades in particular knowing their fate as a second-tier outfit next term for some time.
Expectations in that part of South Yorkshire will be that Chris Wilder’s side can launch a promotion charge next year, following an indifferent year on the pitch. Signing Cleary would be some statement of intent for the Blades, and it wouldn’t be a massive change of scenery from nearby Barnsley. However, this is a fight that is likely to interest much of the Championship, and will be one to keep an eye on when the window opens next month.