Stockport’s Leading Scorer Louie Barry Recalled by Aston Villa

Aston Villa is set to recall Louie Barry, currently on loan at Stockport County, next week. Barry is the League One leading goalscorer and has netted 24 goals in 43 appearances for Stockport County. The former Barcelona youth player has made 44 appearances for Dave Challinor’s squad, scoring 24 goals since his initial loan arrival in summer 2023. His contributions aided the team in securing promotion last season and reaching play-off positions in the ongoing campaign. The 21-year-old is scheduled to play his last match of this loan period in a home fixture against Birmingham City on New Year’s Day. Following this, he will go back to Villa Park for “assessment” by manager Unai Emery, as stated in an external announcement on Stockport’s official club website. Last season, Barry established a post-war club record by scoring in seven consecutive league matches. This campaign, he has earned two League One Player of the Month accolades, having scored 14 goals across 21 league appearances. Additionally, Barry is slated to be available for Stockport’s final two matches of 2024: away games against Huddersfield on Boxing Day and Rotherham three days subsequent. There have been reports linking him with a potential loan transfer to Leeds United, as Villa is reportedly interested in him competing at a more advanced level.