Butterfield Set For Oakwell Exit

Last updated : 08 April 2012 By Rob Miles (BarnsleyBoy)

Barnsley boss Keith Hill has admitted that captain Jacob Butterfield is all set to leave this summer, with the Premier League his most likely destination.

The 21 year old has been out of action since New Years Eve when he suffered an anterior knee ligament injury during the 4-1 win over Leeds.

And now the player who came through the club’s academy is set to leave Oakwell this summer when his contract expires. As Butterfield is under the age of 23 the Reds are entitled to a fee that will be set by an independent tribunal.

However Hill feels it will not be anything near what he or the club values him at.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"There's no fee guaranteed, so we'll probably have to take it to a tribunal,".

"In my opinion he's worth £3m. Will we get that amount? Absolutely not.

"By the time a tribunal sorts out how much we're going to get for him it'll be the middle of August or later."

Butterfield was in sparkling form for The Reds before his injury, netting five times in 25 appearances and the team were sitting in 13th position when he left the pitch on New Years Eve, just six points off the play-offs. Since then The Reds have won just four of 17 matches to drop to 18th, just seven points off the drop zone and 18 points away from the top six.