Aston Villa are preparing to loan out their promising forward Louie Barry to a club that can provide a more competitive environment, as they evaluate his readiness for first-team football. Mick Brown, a former senior scout at Villa Park, has indicated that a significant fee would be required for the club to consider any permanent transfer before the closure of the transfer window.
This decision comes on the heels of a report from Football Insider, which revealed that Celtic's recent £10 million bid for Barry was rejected, suggesting that the Scottish club is unlikely to meet Villa's valuation. Following this, Villa opted to recall Barry from his loan spell at Stockport County, with the intention of placing him at a club that can offer a higher level of competition to aid in his development.
During his time at Stockport, Barry enjoyed a remarkable run, netting 16 goals and providing three assists in just 23 appearances. Many observers believe he is now primed to make the transition to Championship football. Several clubs, including Middlesbrough, Leeds United, and Sheffield Wednesday, have expressed interest in the young forward. However, Villa are meticulously considering which destination would best support his growth.
Brown emphasised the importance of a successful loan at a reputable Championship club for Barry's prospects of breaking into the first team at Villa Park. He cautioned, however, that Barry may not yet be fully prepared for that leap. Despite a challenging early career that saw him move from West Bromwich Albion to Barcelona in 2019, followed by a swift return to England with Villa, Barry is beginning to establish himself within the English football landscape.
Bringing over a decade of experience in elite player recruitment from his time at Manchester United, Brown expressed optimism about Barry's future at Villa. "He's done very well at Stockport," he stated. "Now they're looking at a higher level, with the likes of Leeds or Middlesbrough interested in him. I understand they want to see how well he performs at that level, and then they'll make the same judgement again about his quality."
He elaborated, "If they let him go on loan again now, they've got from now until the end of the season to assess him and decide whether he could come into their team. By the end of the season, they'll have made a strong judgement about that."
Brown concluded by reinforcing Barry's standing within the club: "He's very highly rated by Villa; I think they see him as a part of their first-team plans eventually. I wouldn't expect him to leave permanently unless there's a huge offer for him. They want to see how he performs in the Championship, and then he can step up and become part of Emery's team in the future."
In a related development, Aston Villa are reportedly in competition with Newcastle United for the signature of AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, further underscoring the club's ambition to bolster their squad.