Norwich City should have one eye on Aston Villa situation amid Borja Sainz concern | OneFootball

Norwich should be lining the Aston Villa man up as a replacement for Borja Sainz, if he were to leave the club.

Borja Sainz has been in blistering form for Norwich City this season, having scored 15 goals in 18 Championship appearances.

Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard's prolific form has garnered attention for his services, with Galatasaray heavily linked with a move for the striker.

Although the club will be hopeful of keeping Sainz beyond January, they should have their eye on Louie Barry's situation, as he could provide the answer if the 23-year-old were to leave.

Borja Sainz attracting European interest from Galatasaray

Having only scored six times during his first season at Carrow Road, not many would have expected Sainz to be the Championship's top scorer after 18 matches.

Norwich are currently leading the way as the top scoring side in the division, with 35 goals. This is largely down to Sainz's exploits, who has scored almost half of his team's goals.

Given his heroics in front of goal, it is no surprise that the 23-year-old has been attracting interest from Europe, with Turkish giants Galatasaray heavily linked with the forward.

According to Gala Haber, it has been reported that the player has already expressed his desire to join the Turkish side, with Sainz feeling positive about the interest.

The reports also claim that the Canaries have set a €22m (£18.2m) price tag on the forward in a bid to deter the likes of Galatasaray from making a move.

However, according to Pink Un, Norwich are set to remain firm on their stance of holding onto the forward, who has 18 months remaining on his current deal at Carrow Road.

While Sainz may well remain at Carrow Road past January, they should prepare for all eventualities with Aston Villa's Barry bound to be on their radar.

One man Norwich should have their eye on if Sainz leaves is Barry, who has been enjoying his best goal-scoring season on loan at Stockport County.

The 21-year-old is on his second successive loan with the Hatters and has scored 13 goals in 17 league appearances while on a season-long loan from Premier League side Aston Villa.

Barry has mainly operated in his natural position on the left-wing for Stockport, but can also play as a striker. He is currently the top scorer in League One and averages a goal every 99 minutes.

Furthermore, the winger ranks in the top 99 percentile for goal involvement, expected goals and non-penalty expected goals in League One, making him an appealing option.

Due to his form in the third tier, Barry has attracted interest from a host of Championship clubs, with reports that Villa could recall him in January to sanction a move, according to Birmingham World.

The report claims that Middlesbrough are keen on the winger, while The Star has stated that Sheffield Wednesday are among a 'boatload' of clubs interested in Barry.

Having proven himself in League One, it feels like the time is now for Barry to test himself in the Championship and Norwich would provide the perfect option for the forward if he were to be recalled from his loan.

While a loan move would be most likely for the winger, the Canaries could use any money raised from a potential Sainz sale to sanction a permanent deal for Barry.

As the January transfer window approaches, speculation around Sainz's future increases, but the Canaries will want to hold on to their star man for the rest of the season.

If the club are unable to resist offers for the Spaniard, then the club must line up a move for Barry, who is surely deserving of a chance in the Championship.