Louie Barry. Stockport County FC 0-1 Blackburn Rovers FC. Edgeley Park. Pre-Season Friendly. 2.8.24
Louie Barry. Stockport County FC 0-1 Blackburn Rovers FC. Edgeley Park. Pre-Season Friendly. 2.8.24. Mike Petch. www.stockportcounty.com © 2024
Birmingham City have been told they should pursue the loan signing of League One's most prolific goalscorer from enemies Aston Villa in order to blow away the rest of the division.
Villa's Louie Barry has been one of the players of the season in the English third tier so far this season, carrying Stockport County into the play-off places after helping them to promotion from League Two last term. The 21-year-old has been setting the division alight for the Hatters, bagging 14 goals and one assist in 20 games approaching the halfway point of the campaign.
It has been heavily reported that the Villans are planning on recalling Barry in January in order to upgrade him to a Championship loan to quicken his development and increase his experience at a higher level. However, Chris Davies' Blues have been urged to try to snatch the forward away from the hands of the interested Championship parties to help them comfortably achieve League One promotion at the first time of asking.
Former West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Don Goodman has encouraged City to try to hijack any potential move and bring him to the blue side of Birmingham on a temporary basis.
"His future is very much in the hands of Barry himself and Aston Villa," Goodman told Football League World , via CoinPoker.
"While I'm sure he loves Stockport, I think he'll want to play at the highest level he possibly can and I do think there will be Championship clubs interested in signing him.
"To score 15 goals in 20 games, as someone who is not an out-and-out striker, is a phenomenal record and I think Birmingham or anyone in the Championship would be getting a great player.
"If the opportunity came to play for a Championship club that aspires for promotion, I'm sure it would attract him and it would attract Aston Villa who will be focusing on his development."
Should Blues move in for Barry? Tell us here