"Risk-free option" - Sheffield Wednesday urged to sign exciting Aston Villa star | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday are said to be keen on Louie Barry, and FLW's Owls fan pundit would be very happy to see a deal get done.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

League One star, Louie Barry, is on the radar of clubs in the Championship ahead of January.

As reported by The Star, Sheffield Wednesday are the latest club to take an interest in the 21-year-old, joining Middlesbrough in the race for his signature.

Barry has been hugely impressive while on loan at Stockport County in League One this season, and his parent club Aston Villa will likely be wanting to see him play at a higher level in order to boost his development.

Sheffield Wednesday could be the perfect destination for him, as there would be an opportunity for a lot of game time in the second tier for him.

The Owls are experiencing a rather mixed season, as they currently sit 12th in the table on 25 points. It is a vast improvement on last season, as they finished just three points outside the relegation zone, but the play-offs do look an unrealistic target. Sheffield Wednesday will be happy with a mid-table finish, but with January round the corner, there is an opportunity for further improvements.

Sheffield Wednesday fan approves of Louie Barry interest

If Louie Barry were to sign on loan for the Owls, he would be a superb acquisition given his goal contributions at a lower level. That was the general belief of FLW's Sheffield Wednesday fan pundit, Patrick McKenna, who was excited at the prospect of signing the forward.

McKenna said: "If he is up for loan in January, I think it would be good if Wednesday did go in for him. There's a lot to be said for confidence and games played, and he is obviously doing very well at Stockport County. Yes, it is a lower level than the Championship, but he's playing games and getting goals and I would imagine his confidence is quite high."

"I suppose the Championship is the next step-up and the next challenge. Villa will want to see if he can cut it at a Championship team before making a decision on his future. This season could actually be a really good season to try youth like this. It does look like a relegation battle would be a concern and the play-offs are out of reach realistically."

"Especially in the second half of the season, we can try players like these to see how they get on. I certainly think there is space aswell, with [Anthony] Musaba and [Djeidi] Gassama not consistently hitting form this season. I could see Barry coming in and taking one of their slots and certainly give them competition."

"Would it be realistic if other clubs are in for him? I actually think we could be in a decent enough position because teams challenging for the play-offs may not want to take that risk on a younger player."

"I think a lot of it is down to negotiation and whether we can guarantee the player game time. Being honest, I think we would probably be in a strong enough position in terms of offering him game time."

"I think it would be a risk-free option in January, and if he comes, there is every chance he can have a decent half a season for us."

Louie Barry's 2024/25 season so far

Barry spent last season on loan at Stockport County and, despite missing six months of the season through injury, scored nine goals and helped the club earn promotion to League One.

The loan move was so successful that he re-signed for the Hatters ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, and his injury has evidently had no negative effect on him. The 21-year-old has already scored an impressive 13 goals in 16 league starts and has certainly been Stockport's standout player.

It is no real surprise to see Championship clubs in for him considering he is the current League One top scorer, and Aston Villa will surely want to move him onto a bigger challenge.

Barry is most lethal when cutting in from the left wing and shooting with his favoured right foot, and would be a superb signing for the majority of second-tier clubs.