Barnsley have rejected two separate bids for Mamadou Thiam, with one believed to have been around €2m from an unnamed Ligue 1 club.

The Tykes forward is the subject of intense interest it seems this month, with Andy Giddings from BBC Sheffield reporting that Barnsley have fielded two bids for the 23-year-old so far.

One is from a top-six Championship side and the other is from a French club, who are believed to have offered a significant fee to lure Thiam out of Oakwell at the midpoint of the season.

Thiam has been a regular for Daniel Stendel’s side this season in League One, featuring on 25 occasions.

In that time he’s managed to score five goals and register two assists, helping the Tykes into promotion contention after 25 fixtures.

As with all the EFL leagues, the League One promotion race is tight, with Stendel’s Tykes firmly in it.

They’re currently on a five-match unbeaten run, which has helped them maintain their position in the promotion race over Christmas.

However, attention will turn away from that promotion race this weekend, with Barnsley heading to Turf Moor to take on Premier League Burnley in the third-round of the FA Cup.

The Verdict

It’s going to be a big test of Barnsley’s ambition this month.

Thiam is probably a player they can afford to lose, but the club want to be sending out the right sort of message and giving Stendel hope of building something.

You get the feeling money might talk, but it’s good to see a League One club taking this sort of stance.

Thoughts? Let us know!