Barnsley have brought back Z. Larkeche on loan from Rangers for the rest of the season. The 23-year-old left-back spent the 2022-23 campaign at Oakwell, so this is a return rather than a new face arriving cold.
Barnsley's left-back cover
Daniel Stendel said Larkeche gives the club "real depth to our options at left-back" and added that he "enjoyed his time with the club last time he was here". That fits the move Barnsley have made. They are not taking a punt on someone they do not know, they are leaning on a player who has already spent a season in South Yorkshire.
Larkeche joined Queens Park Rangers in 2023 after being released by Fulham, then spent the 2024-25 season at Dundee. He is back at Barnsley at a time when the club's recent league form has been uneven, with results reading W-L-W-L-W across the last five games.
Barnsley have also scored 7 goals in those five matches and conceded 13, which explains why extra cover at the back has been a sensible move. The club can point to familiarity as well as depth, and that combination is the main reason this loan makes sense.
The arrangement runs for the rest of the season, and Barnsley now have a player back in the squad who already knows Oakwell and the demands of the role.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
