Barnsley sign Vimal Yoganathan
Vimal Yoganathan Credit: Barnsley FC
Barnsley have signed 17-year-old Vimal Yoganathan to a professional contract, securing the midfielder with a two-and-a-half-year deal at Oakwell.
Yoganathan, who is of Tamil descent and the first professional Tamil player in English football, has made first-team appearances this season under manager Neill Collins.
Following his contribution to the U18 team's success, including winning the U18 Professional Development title in May 2023, Yoganathan shared his gratitude and excitement. "It's an amazing feeling... I couldn't have done any of this without the help of the staff, my teammates, and my family," he said.
Bobby Hassell, Barnsley's Interim Director of Football, praised Yoganathan's development and recent first-team debut.
"Vimal joined the club two seasons ago and has since established himself as a star performer," Hassell noted.
"He excels as an all-around central midfielder, demonstrating his skill in tackling and maintaining possession, while also contributing with goals and assists. Vimal is now part of the increasing list of talented central midfielders emerging from our academy."
Hassell expressed confidence in the young midfielder's potential impact, saying, "We have high expectations that he will make a significant impact on the first team environment in the coming years."
