Barnsley are in talks with TSV Hartberg boss Markus Schopp over their vacant head coach position with the club looking to appoint a quick successor to Valerien Ismael.
Ismael left to join West Brom last week, and the Austrian Schopp has now emerged as Barnsley’s preferred candidate to take over at Oakwell.
Schopp guided Austrian Bundesliga side Hartberg to a seventh-placed finish last season and recently extended his contract.
But that has not stopped Barnsley moving for the 47-year-old, whose clubs during his career as a midfielder included Sturm Graz, Brescia and Red Bull Salzburg.
Valerien Ismael left Barnsley after steering them to the Championship play-offs last term
Ismael took over from Gerhard Struber at Barnsley in October 2020, and under his tenure the Tykes missed out on promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs last term, losing in the semi-finals to Swansea City.
The 45-year-old signed a four-year deal at the Hawthorns after a compensation package was agreed.
Barnsley begin their 2021/22 season away at Cardiff City on August 7 before facing Bolton in the EFL Cup first round three days later.
