Aston Villa player set for imminent exit despite just returning to Villa Park
Aston Villa academy star Louie Barry may be on the move again before the winter window slams shut.
The Sutton Coldfield-born attacker joined Villa’s academy from Barcelona in 2020, and despite being highly-rated at the club, he hasn’t made a first-team breakthrough.
Barry’s sole first-team appearance came in the FA Cup way back in 2021 and since then he has had loan spells at Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, MK Dons, Salford City, Stockport County (twice), and Sheffield United.
Villa nearly sold Barry to Hull City last summer for £3.5million, only for that move to collapse.
Last month, Villa recalled Barry from his Sheffield United loan due to an injury blow. Now, he is nearing a familiar move once again.
Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry to make EFL move
According to The Athletic, Villa forward Barry, who can play as a winger or up front, is set to rejoin Stockport County in League One for the rest of the season on loan.
The report states the 22-year-old, who has represented both England and the Republic of Ireland at youth level, is currently nursing a knee injury and will remain out for another month.
However, as he has such an “excellent” relationship with Stockport, after two loan spells with them, they are prepared to help him with his recovery as they bid to earn promotion to the Championship.
He has scored 25 goals in 46 appearances for the club, and now Barry will get a chance to add to that total in the second half of the season for fourth-placed Stockport.
Incidentally, during Barry’s time at Sheffield Utd, he played nine matches, six of which were starts, before getting injured in late October away at Preston.
Will Aston Villa make any other transfer dealings on deadline day?
So far in this window, Villa have signed striker Tammy Abraham from Besiktas on a permanent deal, Douglas Luiz has joined on loan from Juventus, and winger Alysson was snapped up from Gremio.
Wideman Leon Bailey was also recalled from his loan move from Roma, while forward Donyell Malen has gone the other way.
Summer signing Evann Guessand has joined Crystal Palace on loan but there may not be a great deal more transfer activity before Monday’s 7pm deadline.
Villa have to a decision to make on Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott, with the 22-year-old just a couple of games away from triggering his £35m buy clause if he reaches 10 appearances.
Villa have also been linked with Fulham star Harry Wilson but it seems the Welsh international is going nowhere. An intriguing last few hours of the window lie ahead.
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