Aston Villa make transfer decision for striker ahead of potential Leeds United loan move

Aston Villa are ready to make a decision on Leeds United target Louie Barry ahead of the January transfer window. The Whites have been linked with taking the forward on loan for the rest of the season.

According to the Sunday Mirror, the Champions League side are preparing to recall Barry from his loan spell at League One side Stockport County. Aston Villa are wanting to test the 21-year-old at a higher level.

Several Championship clubs have been linked with Barry ahead of next month's transfer window. Alongside Leeds, QPR, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday have been named potential destinations for the former England youth international.

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Barry first joined Stockport on loan at the start of the 2023/24 season, while the club were in League Two. He both the EFL and League Young Player of the Month awards for September.

The attacker scored nine times in 23 before suffering a hamstring injury that kept him out for the majority of the season. However, Barry re-joined the club for their first campaign back in League One for 14 years.

Barry has caught the attention of various clubs with his finishing and overall play. The in-form youngster has bagged 15 goals in just 21 games this term.

Stockport manager Dave Challinor has believes that Barry would benefit more being at Edgeley Park, but it is aware that it is not his decision. Earlier in the week, he told BBC Radio Manchester: "When you take a player on loan, especially from a Premier League club, the reality is you know what you're getting going into.

"We obviously hope that he can stay with us and score another 15 goals in the back end of the season and quite selfishly say that monetises his value more than going to a Championship club and not playing the same amount of minutes that he's having here. That's a decision that's out of our control."