"Sunderland and Leeds United" - Ray Parlour warns Hull City over Aston Villa, Louie Barry chase | OneFootball

Ray Parlour gave his views on Hull City's chase of Louie Barry.

Ray Parlour has warned that it may be difficult for Hull City to sign Louie Barry amid the host of big Championship clubs interested in securing his services.

The Tigers have endured a challenging 2024-25 season, and their struggles deepened on Sunday when they were eliminated from the FA Cup on penalties by League Two side Doncaster Rovers.

In the Championship, it has been a similar story with Hull sitting 22nd after 26 games. While they have seen somewhat of a resurgence under new head coach, Ruben Selles, they will still need more and will be trying to use January to address this.

In search of more goals, the Tigers have reportedly targeted Aston Villa's Louie Barry. The 21-year-old impressed with 15 goals in 23 games for Stockport County during the first half of the season, prompting Aston Villa to recall him from his loan spell in pursuit of a move to the division above.

However, Hull face stiff competition with Millwall, Leeds United, Sunderland and Derby County all keen on Barry.

Acun Ilicali will be hoping that the positive relationship between the Villains and Hull can give the Tigers an advantage in landing what would be an impressive signing.

Ray Parlour unsure whether Hull have the stature to lure Louie Barry

Speaking via NetBet Online Casino, Parlour warned that it won't be a simple capture for the Humberside club with a real battle appearing for Barry's services.

“It’s a tough one as Sunderland and Leeds United especially are pushing for promotion and may well have more budget to offer," Parlour acknowledged.

“These are big teams with bigger resources, so have the power to offer more.

“But for Hull City, the situation is also critical for a different reason as they need to pick up wins to move out of the relegation zone. For the player, it’s important he quickly evaluates all opportunities as he must look at the best option for himself.”

Hull's youthful outlook could prove useful for Louie Barry

While there’s no denying that joining the Whites or the Black Cats would allow Barry to feature alongside higher-quality teammates, Hull have been able to provide a great platform for young players in recent years.

Last season, Jaden Philogene, Tyler Morton and Fabio Carvahlo were particular standouts, with all three enhancing their reputation thoroughly.

If the Tigers are to snap him up, Barry must look at this aspect fondly and it may prove enough to tempt him into a move to the MKM Stadium.

Furthermore, under Selles, Barry would be almost guaranteed regular starts, a level of assurance that promotion-chasing clubs like Leeds and Sunderland are unlikely to offer.

Logistically, Ilicai is well set for a move for Barry, but if the 21-year-old wants to be fighting it out at the top of the Championship, the lure of a club in the upper echelons may be too great.