This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
As the January transfer window approaches, there is a significant need for reinforcements at Cardiff City as they languish precariously above the relegation zone.
Goals are clearly an issue for the Bluebirds, who currently rank as the second-lowest scoring side in the Championship, ahead of only Queens Park Rangers.
Cardiff must address this glaring issue by pursuing quality players in the forward areas, with some appealing options potentially available in the coming window.
Cardiff City should target Aston Villa's Louie Barry at all costs
Louis Barry of Aston Villa
Louie Barry is enjoying the season of his life at Stockport County, who he is currently on a season-long loan for from Aston Villa.
The left-winger's current spell for the Hatters is the best of his budding career in terms of end product, with the 21-year-old notching 13 goals and an assist in 17 appearances.
Barry's fine form in League One has sparked interest in the player, who could be recalled by his parent club, with a view to loaning him out to a Championship side.
When asked if there were any players in particular he would like his club to be keeping tabs on, FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit, Jack Price, highlighted Barry as the ideal recruitment.
"I'd be doing everything to get Louis Barry, who is very hot property at the moment," Jack told Football League World.
"There are a lot of clubs in the Championship after him. Whether we could get a deal over the line, I don't know, but it's something I'd be fighting tooth and nail to do.
"You'd hope that Aston Villa would look at how we progressed Jaden Philogene and trust us with him - he'd answer to a lot of our problems on the pitch."
Considering Barry has been linked with the likes of Middlesbrough, Cardiff's hopes of signing the winger may be optimistic, but they could offer consistent playing time over Boro.
Louie Barry's 2024/25 League One statistics with Stockport County - per SofaScore
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Goals
Assists
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Liverpool's Jayden Danns could provide vital goal threat for Cardiff
Jayden Danns1-1
Callum Robinson has scored five of Cardiff's 15 Championship goals, which highlights the need for striking reinforcements at the Cardiff City Stadium.
"A striker is absolutely imperative because we have not got strength in depth beyond Callum Robinson," Jack continued.
"We've got a lot of strikers with poor injury records, which is Robinson himself, Isaak Davies and Kion Etete. Wilfried Kanga will likely go back to Hertha Berlin - he's been dreadful, quite simply.
"We absolutely need to get another striker in, so maybe somebody like Jayden Danns on loan from Liverpool would be decent."
Given Danns has not featured at all in the Premier League this season, a January loan move could be just the tonic for the 18-year-old.
The striker has made five senior appearances for the Merseyside outfit, scoring two goals, and first-team experience must be on the agenda for the budding teenager.
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If Cardiff want to distance themselves from relegation, then a left-winger and a striker must be targeted in the January window, with the club two points above the drop.
Although the Bluebirds will not be the favourites to sign Barry, they can offer the 21-year-old regular Championship playing time which other clubs may not be able to guarantee.
As for Danns, he is a realistic target and, given his record at youth level, the Bluebirds would be wise to pursue such a deal.