Pundit predicts Aston Villa to hand Stockport County huge boost amid Leeds, Middlesbrough interest | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer believes that Villa will not recall Barry from his Hatters spell next month amid Championship loan rumours

Former England international and current pundit Carlton Palmer believes that Aston Villa will stay loyal to Stockport County in the January transfer window and choose not to recall high-flying loanee Louie Barry, amid rumours of their plan to send him to a Championship side.

Villa loanee Barry has been one of the standout players in the third-tier this season, with 14 goals in 19 league outings so far this term to help the Hatters to fifth place in their promotion push, as well as another goal in the EFL Trophy to take his overall tally to 15.

His impressive form this season has already seen him win both the League One Player of the Month and EFL Young Player of the Month so far, and now his parent club could be set to end his time at Edgeley Park prematurely to give him more experience at a higher level, but Palmer believes they will choose not to terminate his loan so soon.

Carlton Palmer offers surprise Louie Barry, Stockport County verdict

Barry's form has seemingly alerted numerous second-tier clubs to his potential availability, after Birmingham World revealed last month that Villa believe that he would be better suited to a loan in the Championship, with second-tier Middlesbrough understood to be monitoring his availability ahead of the new year.

The race for his signature has begun to heat up as January beckons, and the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County have also been named in the race for the 21-year-old's services over the last month.

TEAMtalk meanwhile claimed earlier this week that QPR, Sheffield United, Coventry City, and Stoke City were also interested, while Leeds United have also reportedly joined the chasing pack in the last few days.

Despite the serious interest from the second-tier, ex-professional and current pundit Palmer backed Villa to stay true to their season-long agreement with the Hatters, and keep Barry in League One for the duration of the campaign, when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

Palmer said whilst speaking exclusively to FLW: “There is a long list of teams queuing up and looking at the progress that Louie Barry has made at Stockport County.

“Sheffield United, QPR, Coventry, Stoke, Leeds United, and I believe Sheffield Wednesday have been running the rule over him. They’re all interested in taking him in January.

“He offers that pace in behind, his link-up play is very intelligent, and the one thing he knows, which is what you want from your centre-forward, is how to put the ball in the back of the net.

“I’m sure Stockport and their boss Dave Challinor are in constant contact with Aston Villa.

“Of course, you want the player to play at a higher level, but I’m sure Challinor is saying to Villa, ‘well we took him last season, he was injured, but did well, and is doing well again in the league above, so let him stay with us'.

“They agreed on a loan deal until the end of the season, and I think there is a lot of loyalty between football clubs. I do believe that.

“I don’t believe that Aston Villa will recall him to send him out to a higher league for the second-half of the season.

“I think they’ll do right by Stockport County, especially given that Stockport are in the race for promotion.

“That race is good for him, it’s competitive, under pressure, which is all part of the learning curve for players. It’s an experience, playing under pressure.

“The only thing that I can think of as to why Villa may call him back, is to see what level he is at.

“They might look and say ‘right, let’s send him out to the Championship,’ but let’s see what he has. Will he return? Could he play in the Premier League or Champions League? Should they sell him in the summer?

“That’s the only thing that I think could tempt them to recall.

“If I was Stockport County, I’d break the bank to get him. If it is the case that Villa are looking at him, then break the bank to get him.

“They’re going to be there or thereabouts to get promoted again, and he’s a player that can grow with them.

“I do believe that Stockport County have a chance of keeping the player.”

Stockport County will still find it tough to keep Louie Barry past January

Barry is one of the hottest properties in the EFL right now, and for good reason, given his rise at Edgeley Park from an exciting, but relatively risky loan capture in the fourth-tier, to one of League One's best players, if not the best in the third-tier right now.

The 21-year-old forward joined County from Villa on loan in League Two last summer, and bagged nine times in 21 league games to fire the club into League One, albeit in an injury-hit campaign after suffering a serious hamstring injury, and he rejoined the club on a temporary deal once again in August with unfinished business.

He has been key to Stockport's promotion push this season, with his goals and assists and all-around standout play, and playing consistently at a competitive level is definitely the best thing for his development at this stage in his career, but whether Villa see his short-term future at Championship standard remains to be seen.

Barry may be well-served staying with the Hatters for now for consistency at his age, but the chance to prove himself in the second-tier seems like one that both he and his parent club will jump at, and they are certainly not set to be short of suitors in the new year.