Hull City close in on seven-figure loan deal for Premier League forward ahead of Stoke clash
In-demand Louie Barry is expected to seal a loan move to Hull City, with a potential debut against Stoke City this weekend, as he is tested in the Championship for the first time.
Striker Barry spent the first half of this season - as he did for the entirety of last season - with Stockport County, who he helped win promotion to League One in the summer of 2024. He was then recalled by Aston Villa from his loan spell at the beginning of January, having topped the League One goalscorer charts with 16 goals in 24 appearances.
Barry has since trained with Unai Emery and the Villa first team, but he is only allowed to make appearances for two clubs in any given season and he hasn't run out for Villa. There has been plenty of interest; he was backed to join Celtic, Leeds United, Derby County and Middlesbrough, but it has now emerged that Hull are in pole position to strike a £1 million loan agreement before next week's transfer deadline. Barry is expected to undergo a medical, according to reports in the north.
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Barry joined Villa in the winter window of 2020 from Barcelona, where he had pitched up having left West Bromwich Albion the summer previous. Since he's been at Villa Barry, whose only start for the Lions' first team came in the FA Cup game against Liverpool in 2021, a game in which he scored, has been on loan with Salford City, MK Dons, Ipswich Town and Swindon Town.
"We are very happy with Barry," Emery explained recently. "We have one plan with him and that is to extend his contract because we believe in him and then he must continue his process as a player. It is to go on loan and continue getting minutes, getting confidence and getting his success playing at another club. How we worked with him last year and with him now is the right way for him."
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