Pundit moots Norwich City to join race for Aston Villa star Louie Barry | OneFootball

A few second tier sides have already been linked with a January move for the 21-year-old forward.

Norwich City have been named as one of the Championship clubs who could really benefit from signing Louie Barry in January.

The Aston Villa winger, who has been on loan at Stockport County over the last season-and-a-half, has been making headlines over the past week. It started with Birmingham World reporting that Villa are planning to recall the 21-year-old from his current loan spell in the new year, and that Middlesbrough were interested in taking him.

Then both Sheffield clubs, United and Wednesday, were also said to be keen on making a temporary move for Barry in January, according to two separate reports from The Star.

The young forward, who predominantly plays off the left-wing for the Hatters, could be a perfect replacement option for Norwich, whose star winger, Borja Sainz who, according to Turkish reports, has agreed terms with Galatasaray ahead of a transfer in the first month of 2025.

Norwich named as strong Louie Barry, Championship destination

Former England international Carlton Palmer has told Football League World that, because of the Sainz interest and the style of play, Carrow Road would be a great spot for Barry to fall to, were he to be recalled from his current loan spell with Stockport.

The pundit did add, however, that he would personally prefer to see the youngster see out the remainder of his scheduled stay in Greater Manchester than make the jump up to the second tier so soon.

"I don't know where this talk (of Barry being recalled and then sent to a Championship club) is coming from," said Palmer. "It's certainly not come out of Aston Villa, and it has certainly not been rubberstamped now. And I'm sure that Dave Challinor and Stockport - they have a loan for Louie Barry until the end of the season.

"They (Villa) can recall him if they want to, but I think it's premature. He's going really well with Stockport. 13 goals in 17 appearances. They are fourth in the table and have a very good chance of being in the play-offs or better.

"That's why you send a young player out on loan: to do exactly what Barry is doing.

"Listen, he scores goals, he's got good pace, he runs between the lines, he gets in behind, so he could do a job at most Championship clubs. Now, if you're going to send him out on loan, you want him to go to a club that plays in a similar way to the way that you want the player to play.

"You'd want him to go to the top of the league - you wouldn't want him to go to the bottom of the league - so would those top clubs be able to guarantee him regular first team football? I don't think they would, at this moment in time.

"And you've got to be careful with his development. He was out for a while last year with Stockport with (a problem with) his hamstrings. I think you've got to be careful with his development, and I think that it would be right for him to stay in League One.

"But, if he went to a Championship club, like a Sheffield Wednesday, who are now mid-table, he could maybe push on to get a play-off place - and I know that I'm going over the top here now because staying up this season would be a magnificent achievement for Danny Rohl, given what happened last season - but say Rohl, who likes young players, with the way that Barry plays - pressing from the front, he gets in behind and scores goals - it could be a win-win for Wednesday.

"But there are a lot of clubs in that division that could benefit from him. The likes of Norwich, who could lose a player (Sainz) in the January window. Some of those clubs, like Norwich City, who are just outside the play-off spots, could benefit from someone like Louie Barry.

"But, like I said, I would like to see him remain at Stockport until the end of this season."