Caley Thistle midfielder Marley Watkins claimed Barnsley manager Lee Johnson’s sales pitch was behind his decision to return to English football.
Watkins was a target for Aberdeen, Hearts and Rangers but has signed a two-year contract with the League 1 club.
Watkins said: “I’m delighted. I had a good, positive meeting with Lee Johnson and I was really impressed with what he had to say and where he wants to go and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Watkins, who moved to Scotland with Caley Jags in 2013, is pleased to have signed off on his Inverness career in style by scoring in the club’s Scottish Cup final win against Falkirk last weekend.
He said: “It was awesome to score in a final. It was a great way to end and I hold Inverness close to my heart. I just want to come to England and prove myself down here then aim as high as possible. I want to be a success with Barnsley.”
As Watkins departs Caledonian Stadium, his former team-mates Lewis Horner and Liam Polworth have joined defender Danny Devine in agreeing new one-year contracts with the club.
They will be joined in the first-team squad next season by another youth team graduate in Calum Ferguson after the attacker also agreed a one-year deal.
Under-20s squad members Cameron MacKay, Jason Brown, Ali Sutherland and Calum Howarth have also all signed new one-year deals.
Ross County attacker Liam Boyce and former Caley Thistle forward Billy Mckay have been released from international duty by Northern Ireland.
The duo were in the squad for the 1-1 draw against Qatar at Crewe on Sunday and also featured in a closed doors training match against the Republic of Ireland which ended goalless on Thursday.
Manager Michael O’Neill has reduced his squad to 25 players for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Romania on Saturday, June 13 with MK Dons midfielder Ben Reeves joining Mckay and Boyce in departing the squad.