Barnsley CEO Dane Murphy has revealed that the club would like to extend midfielder Matty James' loan move from Leicester City in January.

James joined Barnsley on loan until the turn of the year back in the summer transfer window, and has so far made seven league appearances for the Tykes, producing some impressive performances.

Now it seems as though Murphy would be keen to see the 29-year-old stick around for an extended spell at Oakwell.

Speaking about James to Barnsley's official website ahead of their 2-1 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday - in which the midfielder was an unused substitute - Murphy said: “On Matty James, he’s played every game for us and played extremely well. He’s a huge boon in the locker room and on the field.

"He has an air about him, and not just because he’s a great player, and he’s played at the highest level, so he has that stature, it’s also because of him as a guy and he oozes this confidence and ability to galvanise and push this group."

Indeed, it seems Murphy feels that a longer-term deal for James could be something that goes down well with all parties, as he went on to add: “I’ve spoken to Matty and his representative and he’s enjoying his time here.

"And in January it will basically be up to Leicester City and what they want to do with him to see if we can try and get him for the back half of the season.”

This is James' second stint at Oakwell, having also spent time on loan at the club from Leicester back in 2017, while he has made a total of 117 appearances for the Foxes since joining them from Preston in 2012.

The Verdict

It seems as though it would make sense for all parties if James was to extend his loan deal at Barnsley.

It is hard to see the 29-year-old getting much regular football if he does return to Leicester in January, given the number and quality of options they possess.

However, remaining with Barnsley could allow him to get that game time on a consistent basis, which you would imagine is a more appealing option for him.

Indeed, given the positive impact he appears to have made, you can understand why the Tykes would be keen to extend that loan deal, especially since it could also put them in a strong position to potentially secure a permanent deal for the midfielder further down the line.