--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-06-09T17:22:40.395Z last_updated: 2026-06-08T13:11:39+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/derby-county/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVyYnl0ZWxlZ3JhcGguY28udWsvc3BvcnQvZm9vdGJhbGwvdHJhbnNmZXItbmV3cy9iYXJuc2xleS1jaGllZi1leGVjdXRpdmUtc3BlYWtzLW91dC0xMTAwMzk1MA --- # Barnsley chief executive speaks out on Reyes Cleary 'interest' amid Derby links - **Source:** - **Published:** 8 Jun - **Club:** Derby County - **Original URL:** https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/barnsley-chief-executive-speaks-out-11003950 The former West Brom trainee ended a long relationship with Albion 12 months ago when he decided not to sign a new contract with his boyhood club and instead agreed a long-term deal with the League One outfit. His decision to back himself looks well placed after a season in which he played 50 games, scored seven goals and added an impressive 15 assists as the Tykes finished 15th. That has attracted the attention of Championship clubs and last month it was claimed Derby County have ‘joined the chase’ for the 22-year-old who is under contract until 2028, with Barnsley holding an option for another season. That has given them a position of strength and speaking to the Barnsley Chronicle their chief executive Jon Flatman laid out the situation around several of their highly-rated players including Patrick Kelly, Luca Connell, Adam Phillips and Cleary. “I’m sure there’ll be at least one sale this summer,” Flatman said. “But what there’ll also be is recruitment on the other side. That’s really exciting that the money can go on even better players than those that are leaving.” JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Derby County news, analysis and more via our Rams Facebook page The Reds have already received approaches for Cleary, having rejected offers of up to £3million in January, and Flatman said: “There has been interest in Reyes this summer and we’ll continue to monitor that situation as we’ve said all along. “He is a quality footballer and quality footballers will attract attention from other clubs. His age makes him a very exciting option for clubs. “But Reyes Cleary will leave the club when the numbers are right for Barnsley FC. We’ve shown strength in that in January, and we’ll show strength again this summer if we need to. “We’ve given Reyes a great platform and he’s taken that opportunity with both hands. We hope he continues to reward the club and himself.” The Rams are currently low on options at left wing, with Corey Blackett-Taylor the only recognised winger and having spent part of last season out on loan. Patrick Agyemang played on the left at times but is injured and Jaydon Banel has gone back to parent club Burnley. Join our Derby County WhatsApp group to get the latest Rams headlines sent straight to your phone. Joining is easy – just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Rams writers. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Rams news. If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group', simple as that! Remember, to join our Whatsapp group just click this link. We also send community members special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you are curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Every day, the DerbyshireLive football desk strives to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Derby County content. Our dedicated reporter Leigh Curtis - who you can follow on X by clicking here - follows the Rams home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between. You can also get all your favourite content from DerbyshireLive's Rams team on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club. If you prefer reading our Rams stories on your phone, consider downloading the DerbyshireLive app, in which you can personalise the content you see by selecting Derby County as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here.