Barnsley are hoping to extend the loan deal of Matty James from Leicester City until the end of the season, per the Yorkshire Post.

The initial loan deal runs out this week but after forging a successful partnership with Tykes skipper Alex Mowatt, James is wanted for the remainder of the campaign.

Valerien Ismael is looking to tie up his business early on, with Norwich striker Carlton Morris and Forest Green Rovers defender Liam Kitching heavily linked to be joining the South Yorkshire outfit.

But getting James to come back for the rest of the season is arguably a much-more important task given how crucial he has been to Barnsley's great run of form.

This isn't James' first spell at the club, as he spent the second half of the 2016-17 season at Oakwell, making 18 league appearances.

The 29-year-old hasn't been a regular feature for Leicester since their first season back in the Premier League in 2014, and he has been plagued with injuries since then which have disrupted his career.

But at Barnsley once again James has shown signs of a career resurgence, and his presence allows Mowatt to burst forward and become a goalscoring threat.

He clearly thrives in Ismael's system as Barnsley's new manager has guided them up the table, and if he wasn't to stay it could mean the Tykes suffer a huge dip in form.

The Verdict

James' experience cannot be underestimated and it's a no-brainer for Barnsley to bring him back until the end of the season.

There should be no reason as to why Leicester don't agree to it, unless wage contributions become an issue although there's no reason to fear that being a stumbling block.

Barnsley supporters will be hoping for good news in the coming week regarding James and if they can also secure their other targets in Morris and Kitching, January could be a very exciting month for the Tykes.