Sport nationLeeds United Handed Fresh Louie Barry Boost as Aston Villa Weigh Up Next Destination
Leeds United’s pursuit of Aston Villa’s Louie Barry has been handed a significant boost, with Middlesbrough reportedly no longer in the running to sign the talented youngster.
Barry, who has been in impressive form on loan at Stockport County, scoring 14 League One goals in the first half of the season, has attracted interest from several Championship clubs, including Leeds United and Sheffield United.
Daniel Farke’s Leeds United are among the teams vying for promotion to the Premier League, and the addition of Barry could provide a significant boost to their chances. However, landing the 21-year-old won’t be easy, with half the Championship on alert and Villa having a lot of weighing up to do as they figure out Barry’s next destination.
Middlesbrough Stance on Louie Barry Changes Ahead of January
It was previously reported that Middlesbrough were the front-runners to sign Barry on loan from Villa. Boro have a good reputation for taking in Premier League gems and making them better players, doing so with the likes of Cameron Archer in recent seasons, who also came from Aston Villa.
However, an emerging report from The Northern Echo says that Middlesbrough are not actually in the hunt for Barry, who’s been described as a ‘magic’ player. They write that Barry is ‘extremely unlikely’ to move to the Riverside in January as Middlesbrough ‘have no plans to pursue a move as things stand’, despite reports stating otherwise.
Leeds United Handed Louie Barry Twist, His Aston Villa Situation is Unclear
Most now expect the 21-year-old Barry to simply be loaned out again in January. However, Carlton Palmer has suggested that it might not be as simple as that. Palmer believes that Aston Villa could sell Barry permanently in January.
He said: “Maybe he’ll get sold in the January transfer window. It’s unclear yet, and we’ll soon find out whether he’ll be loaned out, integrated into the first team or sold.”
Earlier in the season, there was interest in a permanent deal for Barry, and at the time, a £12.5 million price tag was reported. Though after Barry’s impressive form in League One, it might be that that valuation has gone up slightly, potentially putting a lot of clubs out of the race should Villa prefer a sale.
Or Unai Emery may even have his own plans for Barry. So right now, what the next month or so holds for the youngster remains to be seen.
Conclusion
Leeds United’s pursuit of Louie Barry has been handed a significant boost, with Middlesbrough reportedly no longer in the running to sign the talented youngster. With Barry’s impressive form on loan at Stockport County and his attractive valuation, Leeds United will be hoping to capitalize on the situation and bring the 21-year-old to Elland Road in January.
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