League One team that was promoted Leon Wobschall claims that Wrexham lost out on Conor Hourihane’s signing because he chose to join Barnsley.
The Tykes, hoping to return to the Championship after three attempts, will be happy to win this transfer race. They would prefer a top-two finish as they try to escape play-off heartbreak after making it to the third-tier play-offs two seasons in a row.
Regretfully, they were unable to reappoint Michael Duff, who ultimately decided to join Huddersfield Town, a team in Yorkshire.
However, they were able to arrange a reunion with Hourihane, who proved to be a valuable asset during his two-year tenure at Derby County, his previous team.
Despite the fact that this is a terrific acquisition, the Tykes would be the first to admit that they still have a lot of work to do in the transfer market if they hope to compete at the top of the division the following season.
In addition to losing John McAtee and Liam Roberts, who were key players for the South Yorkshire team last season, and their former loanees, their contracts with Nicky Cadden, Devante Cole, Herbie Kane, and Jordan Williams expire at the end of the month.
At Oakwell, Hourihane’s arrival must signal the beginning of a hectic summer transfer window.
It appears that Darrell Clarke overcame strong opposition to finalise this transfer, since journalist Wobschall disclosed that Irishman Hourihane declined a substantial offer from Wrexham in order to rejoin his former team. He has agreed to a multi-year contract as a player-coach, with the intention of switching to coaching full-time in two years.
