‘Enormous’ clubs are looking to sign Daryl Dike amid reported interest from the likes of Leeds United, Everton and West Ham, Barnsley CEO Dane Murphy tells the club’s official website.
When a 20-year-old striker swapped Orlando for Oakwell during the January transfer window, there was no way of knowing just what an impact he would make in West Yorkshire.
Three months later, an unfancied Barnsley side are storming into the play-off picture, sitting just four points adrift of third-place Swansea City, with Dike making a stunning return to the Premier League a realistic possibility.
After scoring eight goals in 14 Championship games, Everton have taken a keen interest in a powerhouse striker likened to former Toffees star Romelu Lukaku (EuroSport).
TEAMtalk claims that West Ham, Newcastle, Wolves and Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds are also watching closely.
“Daryl’s form has been so good since he arrived that, yes, there are enormous suitors looking at him,” admits Barnsley chief Murphy.
“He’s a 20-year-old kid, he has the world in front of him. Let’s just see where we all are at the end of the year.”
Barnsley have the option to turn Dike’s loan deal into a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
Whether the Tykes can afford a club-record £17 million fee, however, remains to be seen. You’d imagine that only promotion to the Premier League, and the riches that brings, would extend Dike’s stay in Yorkshire.
“We have a price for Daryl that we set with Orlando at the beginning of the deal. We have first rights on him, if we want to exercise that option at the end of the season,” Murphy adds.
“It’s achievable for Barnsley but we just need to see where we are at the end of the campaign.”
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