Barnsley have submitted an offer of £650,000 bid for Zwolle full back Kenneth Paal, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail. 

Paal is in the final year of his contract with the Dutch side, and Barnsley are believed to have made him their top transfer target at this moment in time, despite not having a manager in place.

That comes after Valerien Ismael left the club in favour of a move to Championship rivals West Brom earlier this month, which means the Tykes are now searching to find a suitable replacement ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Barnsley finished fifth in the second tier standings last term, but missed out on promotion into the Premier League, after being beaten by Swansea City in their play-off semi-final.

Paal has been with PEC Zwolle since 2019, after making the move from Dutch giants PSV, and has gone on to make 81 appearances in total for them, and it appears as though his strong showings haven't gone unnoticed.

He made 28 appearances for them in the 2020/21 season, and he could soon be on the move to English football, with Barnsley looking to complete a deal to land his signature this summer.

The Yorkshire-based side are set to take on Cardiff City in their opening match of the 2021/22 campaign, in what is likely to be a tricky test up against Mick McCarthy's side.

The Verdict: 

This could turn out to be a smart signing.

Paal has impressed whilst with PEC Zwolle, and Barnsley are evidently keen to get this deal over the line at the earliest of opportunities, as we head towards the new Championship side.

Strength in depth in defence is never a bad dilemma to have for a manager, and Paal could be a decent option to have in their back-line, providing he can adjust well to the demands of English football.

You have to trust the club's judgement with this one, especially when they don't have a manager in place at this moment in time.