Aston Villa's promising young forward Louie Barry is currently the subject of interest from both Leeds United and Sunderland, as reported by TEAMtalk. While Leeds are keen to secure the 21-year-old's services, Barry appears to be favouring a potential move to Sunderland, particularly in light of recent developments concerning his future at Villa Park.
Barry has enjoyed a stellar loan spell at Stockport County in League One, where he has netted 16 goals in 24 appearances. His contributions have been pivotal in bolstering Stockport's ambitions for a play-off spot this season. However, Aston Villa have opted to recall him from his loan, leaving Stockport to navigate the remainder of their campaign without his striking capabilities.
On December 11, TEAMtalk disclosed Villa's intentions to bring back the former Barcelona academy player, with plans to loan him out to a club in a higher division. Alongside Leeds, other Championship clubs such as Sheffield United, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough are also reportedly vying for his signature. Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed that the recall was part of a broader strategy aimed at facilitating Barry's development through increased competition at a higher level.
As Aston Villa assesses potential destinations for Barry, the club is prioritising his playing time. Given the intense competition for attacking positions at Leeds, Barry's inclination appears to lean towards Sunderland. This speculation was further ignited by a recent Instagram post, where Barry liked a comment expressing hope for him to join Sunderland, which read, "Brilliant Louie, now hopefully you'll sign for Sunderland and do the same up there."
Barry's previous loan spells have primarily been in League One and League Two, with stints at Ipswich, MK Dons, Swindon Town, Salford City, and most recently, Stockport County. As he contemplates the next step in his career, he expressed heartfelt gratitude towards Stockport for their role in his development. He remarked on Instagram, “I've loved every second playing for County and going into training with an amazing group of lads. I will always hold Stockport County close to my heart. Thank you to the gaffa, the staff, all the players and most importantly the fans.”
Emery elaborated on Barry's progress, stating, "He is really performing very well, last year, this year. He did pre-season [with Villa] and we want to introduce him again with us here and to take again another decision with him. But he has potential. We are happy with him. If he can help us, he will do it. But in case, his progression is better to go on loan and to play more and more and get minutes and confidence, playing at a higher level than he played, of course, is the plan with him."
When asked about the likelihood of Barry moving on loan rather than permanently, Emery responded, "This is the next step for us in the next weeks. But he came back here with us, and he has a small injury. We are going to decide again with him, but his potential is exploiting and really being fantastic for him, for the club, as our player. And then we are going to decide."
In addition to Barry's situation, Leeds are reportedly monitoring another Aston Villa player, Emiliano Buendia. The Argentine playmaker has found himself further down the pecking order this season, primarily due to the strong performances of Morgan Rogers. Although Villa is open to a January exit for Buendia, TEAMtalk's Ben Jacobs suggests that a transfer to Leeds seems improbable for two main reasons.
Leeds, however, are reportedly in a strong position to sign Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi, although a move for the Swiss international is expected to occur in the summer rather than during the current transfer window, mainly due to concerns regarding the £10 million-rated player.