Aston Villa primed to make key transfer decision as Hull City and rivals wait patiently
Aston Villa are edging closer to making a decision on the future of highly-rated youngster Louie Barry with a host of Championship clubs waiting on their next move.
Hull City are one of a raft of clubs waiting patiently to find out what Villa decide to do next with the 21-year-old winger, who bagged 15 goals in 23 League One games for Stockport County in the first half of the season to have the Edgeley Park club firmly involved in the race for promotion to the Championship.
Villa recalled Barry, who can also operate as a striker after scoring in the 1-1 draw against Rotherham United at the end of December, halting his dream of scoring against Birmingham City on New Year's Day, and are primed to send him out on loan to the Championship in the second half of the season.
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Numerous clubs, including City, Derby County, Sheffield United and Leeds United, have been keeping tabs on the situation involving the former Barcelona youngster, who has bagged 25 goals in 46 games across two spells for County.
City will hope their positive relationship with Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris will go in their favour, having built strong ties with the Premier League club last summer following the purchase and then sale of Jaden Philogene, who is now expected to leave Villa Park with summer suitors Ipswich Town and Everton keen on the 22-year-old.
Born in Sutton Coldfield, Barry spent a decade at West Brom before his high-profile move to the Nou Camp, where he spent two years, and in the process, becoming the first Englishman to join the Spanish giant's famed La Masia academy but joined Villa in January 2020 for a fee around £880,000 rising to £3.5m.
Since returning to the West Midlands, Barry has had loan spells at Ipswich, Swindon Town, MK Dons, Salford and his double spell at Stockport; he's also played for England from Under-15 through to Under-18 and has also represented the Republic of Ireland earlier in his fledgling career.
