Burnley are close to completing a £3.5m move for the Barnsley defender Marc Roberts.
The 26-year-old, who limped out of Barnsley’s shock defeat in the FA Cup replay against the League Two side Blackpool, has impressed this season in the Championship having joined from non-league Halifax Town in 2015.
Roberts has been a key player in Paul Heckingbottom’s young team who have risen to 10th in the Championship and that has not gone unnoticed.
With Kevin Long out injured, Sean Dyche needs cover for the centre-backs Michael Keane and Ben Mee, and feels Roberts has the ability to make the step up.
Barnsley-born Roberts, who began his career at Wakefield before spells at Worksop Town and Buxton, has only 18 months left on his contract and is expected to agree personal terms with Burnley in the coming days.
He could be followed out of Oakwell by defensive partner Angus MacDonald. Championship rivals Norwich are preparing a £1.5m bid to sign the player who moved to Barnsley only last summer from National League side Torquay.
It has not been a happy few days for Barnsley, who had their chief executive, Linton Brown, surprisingly leave last week and then sold the striker Sam Winnall to Sheffield Wednesday.