Highly rated Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane has shelved contract talks at Oakwell until the summer.

This will give encouragement to Celtic, Rangers and Aston Villa, who have all been strongly linked with the 25-year-old midfielder.

Hourihane has been a driving force behind Barnsley's surprise run into the top half of the Championship following promotion from League One last season via the play-offs.

Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane has shelved contract talks at Oakwell until the summer

CAREER: CONOR HOURIHANE Age: 25 Nationality: Republic of Ireland Position: Central Midfield Clubs: Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle, Barnsley Games: 279; Goals: 45 Honours: 2015/16 Johnstone's Paint Trophy, 2015/16 League One play-offs Advertisement

The Irishman has scored four goals and provided nine assists this season.

With only six months left on his current deal, he has decided not to consider an extension until the end of the season.

It leaves the south Yorkshire club with a difficult decision of whether to try and cash in on Hourihane in January, or allow him to run his contract down with the possibility he could leave for nothing in the summer.

Aston Villa are believed to have been monitoring the situation closely, while there has also been reported interest from the big Glasgow clubs north of the border.

Hourihane worked under Roy Keane at Sunderland and Ipswich before making his breakthrough at Plymouth Argyle and joining Barnsley in 2014.

He has been capped by the Republic of Ireland at under-21 level and has been named in Martin O'Neill's provisional squad for World Cup qualifiers this season, although he still awaits his first senior cap.

Hourihane has encouraged to Celtic, Rangers and Aston Villa ahead of the transfer window