How Louie Barry would fit in at Birmingham City if Aston Villa star seals shock transfer | OneFootball

Aston Villa have confirmed their intention to loan Louie Barry out again, and rivals Birmingham could be an option. This is how could he fit in there.

Aston Villa are planning another loan deal for striker Louie Barry, and this has ignited the possibility of him making a cross-city switch to Birmingham City.

Birmingham's promotion into the Championship isn't the end of the club's ambitions under new owner Tom Wagner, who has confirmed his intentions to build a new stadium for the club less than a mile from St Andrew's with a capacity of 62,000.

This plan really requires Premier League football, so Wagner needs the players to get the team there, and Barry could certainly fit that bill. He spent last season on loan at Stockport County and Hull City, scoring 15 League goals in 23 games for the Hatters and winning the EFL Young Player of the Month in August - becoming only the fourth player to do so - before being recalled by his parent club and sent to Hull instead.

The second half of his season was less successful. He made just four appearances for the Tigers throughout the second half of the season after suffering an injury, and returned to his parent club early.

Figures from Sofascore

Louie Barry to Birmingham City wouldn't be a straightforward loan

Reacting to the news that Villa are looking to loan Barry out again, Give Me Sport mention that "Barry’s name has been mentioned internally at Birmingham City", but this wouldn't necessarily be a straightforward loan.

They mention that "His availability will have several clubs beating a path to his door", but even if money proves no object to Birmingham, there's the small matter of the fact that Barry is a Villa supporter from a family of Villa supporters.

But having said that, Barry is a professional and Birmingham City are clearly an upwardly-mobile club at the moment, so while his heart might say that isn't a move that he wants to make, his head might say that it is.

Where Louie Barry could fit in at St Andrew's

Barry was scoring goals for fun throughout the first half of 2024/25 at Stockport, but Birmingham spent a League One record-breaking £15 million to bring Jay Stansfield to the club from Fulham in August 2024 and were rewarded with 19 goals.Jay Stansfield can play as a nine, a false nine or a ten, which could complement Barry's own versatility.

One player who might consider his place to be under threat should Barry arrive could be Alfie May.

May scored 16 goals in League One last season, and he's a proven striker at that level, but the Championship is a big step-up.

May has never played in the Championship before, and he'll be 32 years old by the start of next season. If Birmingham intend to push towards the top of the table, they may need an extra goal-scoring option.

Other players who could be in danger should Barry arrive may include Emil Hansson and Kieran Dowell.

Hansson only arrived from the Dutch club Heracles last summer and had an injury-disrupted season which resulted in him only making 20 League appearances.

Dowell signed from Rangers on a half-season loan in January.

He played on the right for the Blues last season, but came in for criticism over his performance when Birmingham lost the final of the Vertu Trophy to Peterborough in April.

The situation regarding whether he'll be returning is unclear at present, and Barry might well be considered an upgrade in that position.

Barry can also play on either wing.

Keshi Anderson played on the left-wing for Birmingham last season, and manager Chris Davies has spoken glowingly about Anderson describing him as an example of "the wingers that I want".

Davies prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning that there are a variety of ways in which Barry could be used across that attacking three, or as a striking partner alongside or supporting Jay Stansfield.

Louie Barry is an excellent prospect, and there will be considerable interest in him from Championship clubs.

And while making a move directly from Villa Park to St Andrew's might be controversial, he certainly wouldn't be the first to have played for both clubs. Making that switch might just be a decision that makes sense for both Barry and the Blues.