Barnsley: £5m Mawson joins Swansea as Reds land double signing

The promising centre-back finalised a four-year deal, understood to be in the region of £5m, at the Liberty after completing his medical at the club yesterday afternoon.

Mawson played a key role in the Reds’ double success last season as he formed a successful partnership at the back alongside Marc Roberts.

And manager Paul Heckingbottom wasted little time in finding a replacement for the former Brentford man as the club confirmed two new additions to the squad.

Centre-back Adam Jackson joined for an undisclosed fee, whilst Adam Armstrong will spend a loan spell at Oakwell.

Jackson has penned a three-year deal from Premier League side Middlesbrough and joins the club as a direct replacement for Mawson.

The player jumped at the chance to play Championship football for the first time after spending last year on loan at Hartlepool United.

Jackson impressed during his spell at the League Two side, whilst Boro were being promoted to the top tier, scooping the club’s Young Player of the Year Award.

Heckingbottom had previously bolstered his defensive stocks by adding Angus MacDonald from non-league side Torquay United earlier in the summer.

But Mawson’s big-money move to the Premier League coupled with the Reds being unable to recall Lewin Nyatanga from his loan spell at Northampton left themthin on the ground in terms of bodies in central defence, with just Roberts, MacDonald and Jack Cowgill in the senior squad.

Goal machine Armstrong has signed an initial loan deal until January 2017. The prolific Newcastle striker bagged 20 goals for Coventry City last term, including a brace against Barnsley.

In Armstrong, Sam Winnall and fellow newbie Tom Bradshaw, Heckingbottom has a trio who scored 84 goals between them last season.

And it is looking like another busy day at the club as they look to add more reinforcements before the transfer window slams shut tonight [Wednesday].

The Reds are on the verge of signing defender Cole Kpekawa from Queens Park Rangers.

The youngster, who can play at both left-back and centre-back, underwent his medical at Oakwell yesterday ahead of a proposed £450,000 move to the club.

It is believed that any deal to bring Wigan midfielder Sam Morsy to the club would be a loan, with Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United also keen on the player.

The Reds look to have been priced out of the race to sign Chesterfield’s Gboly Ariyibi, with Brentford seeing a £800,000 offer rejected yesterday.

Meanwhile, midfielder Charlie Harris cancelled his contract at the club by mutual consent.