Sheffield Wednesday are set to beat Leeds to Barnsley striker Sam Winnall.
Sheffield Wednesday are set to win the race for Barnsley’s Sam Winnall, HITC Sport understands.
It would mean beating Championship rivals Leeds United to his signature, with the Whites also holding a long term interest in the striker.
Winnall has scored 11 goals for Barnsley this season so far, and is out of contract in the summer.
Barnsley’s Sam Winnall after the match
Sheffield Wednesday were play-off runners up last season and are in the hunt again, and Winnall would be an impressive addition.
Leeds are currently occupying a play-off spot and really could have an ace in the pack when it came to signing the striker.
That would be chief executive Ben Mansford, who joined Leeds from Barnsley last summer.
Barnsley’s Sam Winnall celebrates after winning the Sky Bet Football League One Play-Off Final
Mansford helped Barnsley acquire Winnall back in 2014, and Winnall spoke highly of him when he joined alongside two other players, Ross Turnbull and James Bailey.
He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “In James, Sam and Ross, we believe we have three Championship performers who are going to dominate League One next season.”
Winnall helped Barnsley win promotion at the second time of asking last season, and has continued to impress in England’s second tier this campaign.
Despite this he has yet to sign a new contract and looks set to depart.
Previously established connections could have helped when it came to negotiations, and former agent Mansford could have been a swaying factor.
Leeds needed an additional striker with Chris Wood’s back-up Marcus Antonsson not scoring a league goal since September, and Winnall would have been a smart move. This is certainly a wasted opportunity for the Whites.
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