Barnsley face a battle to keep hold of assistant manager Andreas Winkler, with Huddersfield keen on recruiting the 48-year-old in a similar role.

The Terriers recently named German coach Jan Siewert as the successor to David Wagner as they look to complete a very improbable survival in the top-flight this season.

And, according to BBC Sheffield reporter Andy Giddings, Siewert is keen on bringing Winkler in as his number two.

The update also suggests that a deal could be finalised before the weekend.

"Understand #HTAFC have made an approach to #barnsleyfc for assistant coach Andreas Winkler. Winkler could become new assistant coach at the #EPL club before Sat."

Obviously, that would be a big blow for Daniel Stendel, who has worked with Winkler since he made the move to Oakwell.

It would also come at a bad time for the Tykes, with the side boasting a seven-game unbeaten run that has seen them close the gap on the top two in the race for automatic promotion.

Barnsley are back in action this weekend against Rochdale, whereas Huddersfield don't play until Tuesday.

The Verdict

It's hard to say how much of an influence Winkler has on the team as a lot of his work will be done on the training ground.

However, it's clear that such a disruption is far from ideal for Barnsley, particularly at this stage of the season.

The chance to go to the Premier League will appeal though, so Stendel needs to be considering alternatives for that role as you would expect this to go through.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.