Gaffer Danny Lennon announced a few weeks ago that Barron was being offered a new deal. There were suggestions there was a hidden agenda behind Lennon going public, perhaps because they knew Barron wouldn't accept, and today's news seems to back that up - especially as Lennon claims it was a pretty good offer.
Apparently, Barron - who joined the club from Partick Thistle in the mid 2000s - is hopeful of landing himself a Championship club next summer. While he's a good player for us, I don't think he is close to the standard required to play regularly in that league at this stage in his career. He'd be far better signing the new deal, developing a bit more and moving at the end of that.
Saints now need to decide whether to sell Barron now or in January and get some cash - as happened with Stephen McGinn last season - or keep him to the end of the season in the hope he signs a new deal but risk losing him for nothing.