Birmingham City eyeing shock transfer for Aston Villa star Louie Barry | OneFootball

Louie Barry has returned to Aston Villa following his spell on loan with Hull City

Aston Villa are ready to loan out Louie Barry this summer amid interest from several Championship clubs, including bitter rivals Birmingham City.

According to GiveMeSport, Unai Emery is prepared to sanction another temporary exit for the forward after he spent last year with both Stockport County and Hull City.

The 21-year-old earned a lot of plaudits for his performances in League One, scoring 15 goals from 23 appearances.

However, injury issues prevented him from playing a larger role for the Tigers following his January switch to the Championship side.

Louie Barry transfer latest

Championship clubs have reportedly been alerted to the availability of Barry this summer as a potential loan option.

It’s believed Coventry City and West Brom are two clubs with their sights set on signing the youngster.

However, Aston Villa’s bitter rivals Birmingham are also understood to be considering the player’s situation.

But it remains to be seen whether the forward would be willing to make the move to St. Andrew’s given the history between the two clubs.

The 21-year-old initially spent time in the Baggies’ academy system before moving to Barcelona in 2019, where he spent just one year before joining Aston Villa.

It’s been reported that any exit from Villa Park this summer will happen on a temporary basis, indicating he could yet still earn his way into Emery’s first team plans in the future.

Louie Barry’s mixed season

Barry was a standout performer in League One in the first half of the campaign, returning to Stockport County after helping them gain promotion from League Two.

He scored 15 times in 23 appearances in the third tier, which led to January interest from a number of Championship clubs.

Hull won the race to his signature, but he struggled for game time due to fitness issues, with Ruben Selles’ side battling against relegation.

The Tigers ultimately finished 21st in the table, surviving due to a superior goal difference compared to Luton Town.

Birmingham move would be surprising

Birmingham will be coming up from League One with great ambitions to compete at a high level in the Championship straight away.

Given Barry’s potential, it’s not too surprising that someone of his calibre would raise some questions over a possible move.

However, it’s difficult to see Villa sanctioning a move to a rival, especially if it helps them in a bid for promotion next year.