Stockport County: Aston Villa, Louie Barry call may draw Edgeley Park frustration | OneFootball

Fans at Edgeley Park will no doubt keep an eye on Louie Barry’s progress even though he’s left

The placement of Louie Barry for the second half of the season is set to be a key theme of this January transfer window since his recall from Stockport County at the beginning of the month.

The electric forward notched 15 League One goals in 23 appearances for the Hatters, prompting his parent club, Aston Villa, to consider a new phase for his development.

Upon recalling him, both Villa manager Unai Emery and Stockport director of football Simon Wilson suggested that he might be kept as part of the senior setup with the Villans, before reports, from the Yorkshire Post, suggested that Championship strugglers Derby County were moving into pole position to land a loan deal.

Although eyes will now be firmly set on who comes in to fill the Barry-sized gap at Edgeley Park for Hatters fans, either of those calls from Villa could cause a tinge of regret and frustration at County.

The presumption was, when Barry’s recall became public knowledge, that he’d be shipped back out to a Championship side to compete at a higher level. On the face of it, Derby offers exactly that.

However, a glance at the league table shows that the Rams are shaping up to find themselves in a relegation battle, having only just last season come up from the third tier themselves.

Earlier links to Leeds United and Sheffield United, clubs at the summit of the Football League and eyeing up a Premier League place, would have made sense to County fans, had they come to fruition, but some may question whether Barry is going to be surrounded by the quality required to put his stamp on the higher level properly.

While the competition will provide a sterner test, the difference in his surroundings going from Stockport to Derby may not be all that much of a change — some will wonder whether he’ll gain any more than if he’d have stayed put, on course to complete a 30-goal season at Edgeley Park.

Staying at Aston Villa could cause further Stockport County frustration

The gripe with seeing Barry move to Derby may only be minor but if he were to remain in Villa’s first-team setup — as mooted separately by Emery and Wilson — frustrations could rise further.

The West Midlands side are going well under Emery and are on course to challenge for a place in Europe for the second season running.

While Barry has impressed immensely on loan, stepping up to the upper echelons of the top tier is some jump, and would be a tough ask — it’s difficult to see Barry making an immediate impact on the first team this season.

That may mean, if Barry were to remain at Villa Park, that he’d spend a good portion of the latter part of this campaign on the bench, waiting for cameos and a chance to prove his worth and work his way into Emery’s plans.

That outcome for County, knowing he could have continued his inspired run of form with regular minutes at Edgeley Park, would likely stick in the craw of Stockport fans.

Stockport County fans will want the best for Louie Barry regardless

Although County supporters will certainly be more focused on what comes next for their team, Barry made a strong impression in Stockport, and there will be no shortage of fans wishing the best for him wherever he does end up.

However far he progresses, the Hatters will take pride in knowing the pivotal role they played in his journey, and may secretly hold hope of a return one day, such was the bond forged during his two loan spells.

Despite that, his next placement does have the potential to cause frustration at Edgeley Park — it’s only natural to wonder what might have been if his next step isn’t a quality move.