There could be a controversial deal struck between the two Second City clubs this summer.
Birmingham City have been linked with a controversial swoop for Aston Villa forward Louie Barry this summer and may have to move quickly if they are to beat Championship rivals to his services.
Chris Davies is eager to improve his options on the flanks this transfer window and Barry, who was once among the Barcelona youth ranks, is being considered as a genuine option. The 22-year-old is understood to have impressed Birmingham’s recruitment staff with his performances on loan at Stockport County during the first half of last season.
Barry tore League One to shreds as he scored 15 goals and provided three assists in 23 matches before being recalled by Villa and loaned to Hull City in the division above. The forward was only just settling in at the MKM Stadium when he suffered a serious knee injury on his fourth appearance, ending his season prematurely.
Birmingham City must hurry to sign Louie Barry
If Blues want to act on their interest in Barry, they must get on with it as other Championship clubs have shown an interest, one of which is Hull. The Tigers are motoring on with their pursuit of Barry, reports Hull Live, and talks are said to be advancing with Villa over a permanent deal.
The Villans need to generate revenue before June 30 as they are struggling to conform to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), so a transfer away for Barry could realistically be finalised before then. Hull appear to be leading the race at the moment but there’s still time - just about - for Birmingham to perform a shock hijack.
Football Insider reported back in the winter that Celtic saw a £10 million bid - inclusive of £5 million in add-ons - rejected for Barry. If that was true, then Villa would probably be looking for an offer a little in excess of that, or with fewer performance-related bonuses.
Would Louie Barry say yes to Birmingham City?
Barry joining Birmingham on loan from Villa simply wouldn’t make sense for any party as Blues wouldn’t want to help develop one of their bitter rivals’ players, so a permanent deal would be the only realistic avenue to explore. There are a few sticking points even then, however.
It’s often frowned upon when players move between bitter rivals Villa and Blues and understandably so. It’s not something that’s completely ruled out transfers between the two clubs, though, as it’s a route many have walked. Craig Gardner, Gary Gardner, Curtis Davies, Liam Ridgewell and Scott Hogan all made the move in the past two decades, for instance.
But there’s another complication. Barry, from Sutton Coldfield, is himself a boyhood Villa supporter. Even if he were to be able to take the emotion out of his decision, the Villa fandom may still be tricky for both sets of supporters to see past.
Rivalries aside, Barry could be a great addition for Blues. He’s quick, he’s agile, he’s got a great eye for a pass and is a clinical finisher. He can also play on either flank or as an attacking midfielder. That sort of versatility is exactly what Birmingham are looking for. It just depends on the elephant in the room and whether all parties can ignore it.
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