Barnsley to decide on Treacy move (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Barnsley to decide on Treacy move

10:01am Friday 13th July 2012 in News By Chris Flanagan, Sports reporter

BARNSLEY boss Keith Hill is expected to decide whether to step up his interest in Burnley winger Keith Treacy when he returns from the Tykes’ training camp in Spain in the next few days.

Hill is understood to have made a left-footed wide man his number one priority this summer and is interested in Treacy, who is also a target for Sheffield Wednesday following a loan spell at Hillsborough at the end of last season.

The 23-year-old left winger joined Burnley from Lancashire rivals Preston for around £500,000 last summer but fell down the pecking order after struggling to find his best form at Turf Moor.

He made 27 appearances for the Clarets in total last season but was allowed to join Sheffield Wednesday’s League One promotion bid in March, remaining on loan until the end of the campaign.

Treacy impressed as the Owls gained automatic promotion to the Championship and the Irishman said at the end of the season that he would be open to a permanent move to Hillsborough. It is understood that Sheffield Wednesday boss Dave Jones remains interested in snapping up Treacy this summer but he now faces competition from Barnsley.

Hill wants to add balance to his squad for the new season and has put Treacy on his list of summer targets.

The Barnsley manager is attempting to focus on pre-season training during the Tykes’ trip to Marbella this week but will turn his attention back to making decisions over possible signings when they return on Sunday.

Barnsley, however, are not thought to have a large budget at their disposal this summer so much could depend on whether they can afford Treacy or whether they opt to look at free transfers or loan signings.

Burnley boss Eddie Howe recently admitted that they would consider offers for Treacy but also made it clear that the former Blackburn Rovers wide man would not be allowed to leave on the cheap, saying: “No-one is going to nick him from us.”

Howe has insisted that the door is not closed on Treacy’s Clarets career but is contemplating a move for Bournemouth wide man Marc Pugh.

Reports in Latvia suggest that defenders Nauris Bulvitis and Marcis Oss could be set to travel to Burnley for a trial period later this month.

Bulvitis, a 25-year-old who plays for Spartaks Jurmala but previously had a loan spell at Inverness, recently impressed on his debut for the Latvian national team at the Baltic Cup. Oss, 20, represents FK Jelgava.

* Cameron Howieson appeared as a substitute for New Zealand’s Olympic team in a 1-1 friendly draw in Japan.