Aapo Halme was amongst the exodus at Leeds United during the summer transfer window, with the Finnish centre-back making a switch across Yorkshire and linking up with Barnsley.

Leeds are unbeaten in five games heading into this international break, which has left them third in the table and trailing only West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End.

However, Halme and Barnsley are struggling at the opposite end of the table, with a 4-2 defeat to Stoke City last time out leaving them cut adrift in 24th.

But how has the former Leeds centre-back been getting on for the Tykes since making the move to Oakwell?

The 21-year-old has played regularly enough for Barnsley under both Daniel Stendel and Adam Murray, featuring on 11 occasions in the Championship.

And, in that time, he has scored the first league goals in his senior career, scoring against both Derby County and Bristol City, two games that ended in 2-2 draws.

Whilst that’s a steady contribution for a defender, it isn’t what Halme is paid to be doing at Barnsley, who currently have the worst defence in the Championship.

The Tykes have conceded 33 goals in only 16 games – including two when they met Leeds back in September.

Of course, having lost goalkeeper Adam Davies, along with centre-backs Liam Lindsay and Ethan Pinnock, it was always going to be tough for Barnsley to be solid, with Halme arriving as a starting centre-back, which he hadn’t been at Leeds due to Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper.

However, if Murray – or whoever comes in at Oakwell permanently – has any aspirations for keeping Barnsley in the Championship this season, he needs his defence tightening up and even more out of someone like Halme, who despite limited opportunities at Leeds, did in-fact have to play in some pressure situations.

There was certain pressure on Saturday’s meeting with Stoke, who leapfrogged Barnsley thanks to their 4-2 win, with the Tykes failing to spoil Michael O’Neill’s first outing as Potters boss.

For Halme, he will appreciate he is getting more game-time at Oakwell than he could’ve dreamed for at Elland Road, but as things stand, it is shaping into a tough first year in the red of Barnsley.