With the dust having now settled on a superb season for Barnsley in which they secured an immediate return to the Championship, boss Daniel Stendel will be looking to bolster his squad this summer.

However, before he brings in any new additions, the German may first have to deal with the possibility of losing one of his best players.

According to the Scottish Sun, Italian side Brescia have reportedly tabled a bid in excess of £1m for Liam Lindsay after being impressed by his contributions for the Tykes during the 2018/19 campaign.

If this is indeed true, Stendel may struggle to convince the 23-year-old to stay at Oakwell as the prospect of testing himself against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Dries Mertens in the Serie A could be too big of an opportunity for the defender to turn down.

Given just how important Lindsay has been to Barnsley since joining the club in 2017, it is crucial that the Yorkshire-based outfit bring in a sufficient replacement for him if he does leave.

With this in mind, here are three defenders that we think the Tykes should target...

Matthew Clarke

One of the best players in the third tier, Matthew Clarke seemingly has an incredibly promising career ahead of him yet he may have to leave Portsmouth in order to fulfil his potential.

Powerless to prevent Kenny Jackett's side from crashing out of the play-offs last month, the 22-year-old may not fancy another season in League One and so Barnsley should consider making a move for him if Lindsay leaves.

Although he has only played four games at Championship level before during his career, Clarke's superb performances over the past couple of years suggest that he is well worth taking a risk on.

Krystian Pearce

Whereas signing Clarke would require Barnsley having to spend big, if they are looking for a cost-efficient replacement for Lindsay, they should look no further than Krystian Pearce.

Utterly outstanding for Mansfield Town last season, the defender played in all but two of the club's games with his consistency earning him a place in the PFA League Two Team Of The Year.

With the Tykes being able to offer Pearce the opportunity to move up two levels, he could be tempted to call time on his four-year stint at Field Mill.

Matthew Pearson

An ever-present at the back for Luton Town last season, Matthew Pearson played a crucial role in helping the club secure promotion to the Championship as he was part of a defence which only conceded 42 goals in 46 games.

Despite having failed to leave a lasting impression during his one year spell at Barnsley, it may be worth at least having a go at trying to convince him to move back to Oakwell this summer as he has clearly improved since leaving the club in 2018.