Barnsley want to give Jimmy McNulty a chance to put his career back on track – and it could be at centre-back.

Albion’s Championship rivals have made an enquiry about the defender, pictured, who has a year of his contract still to run.

They are likely to tell the Seagulls they would pay, at most, a nominal fee due to McNulty’s track record with injuries.

The Tykes would carry out a stringent medical ahead of any deal.

Albion signed McNulty for £150,000 as an attack-minded left-back in 2009 but he has started just ten league games for the club and suffered terrible luck with injuries.

He had a kidney removed after a freak accident in a game against Crewe shortly after his move from Stockport.

The 26-year-old saw Marcos Painter emerge as Albion’s first choice leftback and opted to go on loan to Scunthorpe, where he suffered a serious ankle injury.

New Barnsley boss Keith Hill saw a lot of the Liverpudlian in the North West while he was manager at Rochdale and rates him as a strong all-round defender whose best football has come in central defence.

Barnsley believe they have a chance of tempting McNulty back up north.

Asked whether he had made a bid, Hill told The Argus: “I’m a long-time admirer of Jimmy. And I’d like Will Buckley on a free!”