Louie Barry is the League One top scorer so far this season
Louie Barry is the League One top scorer so far this season (Image: Getty Images)
Louie Barry believes he is returning to Aston Villa a "much better player" than when he left on loan in the summer.
He joined Stockport County for a second stint after helping Dave Challinor's side win League Two and gain promotion to the third-tier of English football. Barry recorded 13 goal contributions in 20 league matches last term, before scoring 14 times in 21 League One appearances this campaign.
Villa confirmed that he is going to be recalled from his loan at the start of January and he will be assessed at Bodymoor Heath. Championship clubs have registered their interest in the 21-year-old, who will likely embark on another loan spell next month.
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"As a loan player the goal is to go back to your parent club and hopefully play or be around," Barry said on Stockport's YouTube channel. "Obviously I’m a Villa fan, my dad has a Villa tattoo on his arm and his leg. He’ll probably get a Stockport one now because he loves County that much!
"The main goal now is to go back to Villa and I think I have earned that now. It’s about me showing them what I can do when I get back and hopefully break through. That is the number one goal."
Barry added: "My other loans before I was very young and I felt like I was doing well, but my stats weren’t there. The first three games of the season I was doing well, but it was the same story as before. I was doing well but I needed the output as an attacker.
"The gaffer showed belief in me and said to me in training that I was doing well, but I needed more goals and assists, high speed running too. I think that has shown this season, the belief that he has given me to get more goals and assists. Also output with the running stats.
"I’ve believed in my ability since I was six years old, but I really needed that push and this has been a perfect fit for me. County is the club who has propelled my career and I can look back now and that can be the start of my career.
"Last season I stayed wide or played in the middle. I was used to that my whole career. This season was different coming in off the left. I hadn’t really done that before in that type of 10 role. The first games of the season I got the goals, but my performance levels weren’t the best.
"Playing in a bit of a different position, I was still learning. I was doing extras in the pocket and it really helped me. I think I have come on leaps and bounds and in the last three or four months I think I am a much, much better player and now I can play in that position. That versatility will help me."
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