Alex Mowatt 'wants to stay' at Barnsley as talks over a new deal continue, according to CEO Dane Murphy.

The Tykes' captain is out of contract at the end of the season with the Championship side naturally keen to extend his stay at Oakwell.

Due to his situation there have been a number of clubs in the second tier said to be interest in a move for the midfielder, including Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough, QPR and Cardiff City who were credited with an interest last month.

But while other clubs may be sniffing around, Barnsley's CEO is quietly optimistic.

Quoted by the Yorkshire Post, Murphy said: "The conversations are ongoing. "He has made it known he wants to stay and we have made it known we want him to stay. It is just getting to that line and we are continuing to work on it.

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"Both sides have an idea of what can get done and is so important to them. He is such a vital piece of what we are trying to do.
"Not only as a captain, leader of the group and his ability, but if we are going to continue this model of trying to build players and do the best we can with our core group, it only makes sense to keep Alex Mowatt.
"There is not a massive (current) detail update on Alex. But Alex and Alex's agent are so easy to work and deal with in trying to find a solution." The Verdict  Keeping hold of Alex Mowatt would be a major boost for Barnsley. The captain is a vital member of the Tykes' side and it's only natural that he's attracting interest from clubs higher up in the division. Whether a contract will be signed remains to be seen, but based on this update in seems that supporters can be quietly optimistic.