Barnsley: Reds kick-off search for Sheffield Wednesday-bound Sam Winnall replacement

The Reds’ top goalscorer was a highly sought after commodity, with Brentford, Norwich City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United and the Owls all vying to snap him up.

The 25-year-old, who has netted 11 times in the Championship this season, would have been out of contract at Oakwell in the summer.

And instead of letting him go for free at the end of the season, the club look to have decided to offload him to their Yorkshire arch-rivals.

Barnsley insisted they would only focus on the funeral of club legend Norman Rimmington yesterday. Winnall’s transfer is expected to be confirmed today.

Paul Heckingbottom’s men are only four points off the Owls - who are in sixth place - and Winnall’s goals could provide the difference in the race for the play-offs.

The fee is believed to be a six-figure sum with add-ons.

Since the news broke of Winnall’s impending departure, Barnsley have been heavily linked with Grimsby Town striker Omar Bogle.

The 24 year-old is the hottest property in League Two at present, scoring 18 goals so far for the mid-table Mariners.

Bogle has been linked with a string of other clubs and Barnsley have traditionally done well in plucking players from lower levels.

However, Grimsby Town boss Marcus Bignot yesterday insisted his star player was not for sale.

“We’ve had two bids from one club for Omar Bogle,” Bignot told the Grimsby Telegraph. “Their second offer went in (on Wednesday). The first bid was rejected and they were told that he is not for sale and that is the club’s stance. Omar is not for sale, but that doesn’t stop clubs putting bids in.

“I’m sure there will one day come a bid that will be too good to turn down, but he is not for sale as we stand.”

The extension of Adam Armstrong’s loan deal from high-fliers Newcastle United is beginning to look like an even better bit of business for Barnsley now.

Armstrong has struggled with injury in recent weeks, and he is now back to full fitness.

The Reds’ fans have already seen the quality he possesses, with his debut goal against Preston North End earning him the Sky Bet September Championship Goal of the Month award.

Could it be the time for Tom Bradshaw to make his mark at the club?

The 24-year-old marksman joined the ranks, for a believed £600,000 fee, last summer after bagging 20 goals for Walsall last season.

He has already found the back of the net four times this term and the best could still be to come from the Welshman.

It also appears unlikely that Marley Watkins will be reunited with former boss Lee Johnson at Bristol City. Johnson has been keen on taking the forward to Ashton Gate since he left the Reds last season.

Heckingbottom will be looking to bolster his strike force before the window shuts at the end of the month.

One named linked as a potential replacement for Winnall is Hibernian striker Jason Cummings.

If the Reds are to land the 21-year-old Scot, who has bagged 12 times in 20 appearances so far this season, they will face a stern challenge from London club Queen’s Park Rangers.

The priority now for Heckingbottom will be trying to secure the future of captain Conor Hourihane, whose contract also runs out in the summer.