Aston Villa poised to sell Louie Barry – Birmingham City, QPR and West Brom should swoop ASAP | OneFootball

It has been reported that Aston Villa will sell Louie Barry. Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers and West Bromwich Albion should target him.

As EFL clubs begin to return to pre-season, the summer transfer window is ramping up, with some clubs looking to conclude their business, or at least get the bulk of it done as early as possible in order to be ready to go for the season.

That would mean that the news that Aston Villa are set to cash in on Louie Barry this summer will be of great interest to vast swathes of the Championship, as they seek to perhaps find a missing piece in the final third to mount a serious promotion challenge next season.

Barry, who played for both West Bromwich Albion and Barcelona at youth level before turning professional at Aston Villa back in 2021, has enjoyed and endured mixed loan stints in the EFL with the likes of Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, Milton Keynes Dons and Salford City, as well as Hull City.

However, the potential he showed to earn a move to Barcelona and star for England at youth international level, was also on display during his two stints at Stockport County, where he notched 25 goals in 46 appearances at the back end of their 2023/24 League Two title-winning campaign and then in the first-half of their 2024/25 season in League One.

With Barry now set to be on the market on a permanent basis, Football League World has looked at three clubs that should be most keen on a move for the 22-year-old.

Birmingham City

Blues gained promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking last season with a record-breaking 113-point tally, and they were dominant throughout the campaign.

One thing that may well be a slight cause for concern for Birmingham supporters and manager Chris Davies, though, would be that the second-city outfit were often, especially in the first-half of the campaign, excellent between both boxes but lacking something magic in the final third in particular.

Their excellent, possession-based style of football is something that one would expect to be dealt with better at a higher level, and that could lead to them becoming blunt and perhaps predictable.

Barry’s incision in the final third would act against that, though, and provide Birmingham with a major point of difference in attack as they seek to find support for club-record signing Jay Stansfield.

Queens Park Rangers

It has been a while since QPR placed Marti Cifuentes on gardening leave, but the west Londoners have finally officially parted company with the Spaniard, with former Stade Rennais boss Julian Stephan taking charge at Loftus Road.

QPR supporters are already beginning to get excited about the new season, with Stephan known for a track record of developing young talent and links to departing Peterborough United attacker Kwame Poku.

However, the potential arrival of Poku would not harm or mean no room for Barry as Barry can operate both as a striker and out-wide on the left-hand side, cutting in onto his right, as opposed to Poku who goes onto his left from the right.

With Charlie Kelman returning from his successful loan spell at Leyton Orient, QPR could well go further to building a League One all-stars side with the signing of Barry; and it would be another statement of intent as they seek to build a young side capable of challenging now but also developing further.

West Bromwich Albion

A perhaps romantic return to The Hawthorns is something that West Brom should definitely be lining up under the new management of Ryan Mason, who has been appointed this summer having been a member of Ange Postecoglou’s coaching staff at Tottenham Hotspur.

Albion have seen some key departures from attacking positions, such as the release of Grady Diangana and John Swift, whilst loanees such as Will Lankshear and Adam Armstrong have also returned to their parent clubs.

There is also talk that Tom Fellows could depart, with Everton said to be interested in the exciting youngster, and a move for someone of his ilk, at least in terms of age, profile and position, could lead the Baggies to a move for former academy player Barry.