Aston Villa's Louie Barry transfer plans revealed as Leeds United and Sunderland circle | OneFootball

Barry is set to make a move of some sort in the winter window.

Aston Villa want to sell Louie Barry to a Championship club in the January transfer window amid links to Leeds United, Sunderland and other second-tier contenders.

The Telegraph have stated that Unai Emery's side is looking to cash in on their hottest prospect in the coming months rather than looking for another temporary deal for Barry.

The forward was on loan at Stockport County, where he had also spent the previous season, before it was officially announced that he'd be recalled by his parent club in the new year after a number of reports which claimed that he'd make his return to Villa Park in January.

Barry scored 15 goals in 23 appearances for the League One outfit and was set to play his last game for the Hatters against promotion favourites Birmingham City on New Year's Day, but missed out on the game due to an injury picked up against Rotherham United a few days earlier.

Aston Villa's Louie Barry plans revealed

The forward could demand some serious money from any clubs that want to buy him before the transfer deadline on 3rd February, and Villa are reportedly looking to get that money now, as per The Telegraph.

Many of the teams who are supposedly interested in the 21-year-old were being linked with taking him on loan. There were no shortage of potential suitors, but now that it appears his parent club want to offload him permanently, that could take some potential contenders out of the race.

Promotion hopefuls Leeds and Sunderland have both been named as sides who are keen on signing Barry before the transfer window shuts. However, it has been reported multiple times that Middlesbrough are the ones who are in pole position to acquire the ex-Barcelona academy member.

Derby County and both Sheffield sides (United and Wednesday).

Louie Barry transfer saga could run deep into the window

Barry is an unproven entity in the second tier. He's never had the opportunity to play at that level before, but his showings in the division below certainly suggest that he at least deserves the chance to test himself at the EFL's top table.

If he is able to bring his form from League One up to the Championship, he will be a real difference maker for a lot of teams, especially the likes of Leeds, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, who are up at the top end of the table, fighting for a spot in next season's Premier League.

Because of the stakes, an insane bidding war could be just around the corner, with a number of teams all fighting to get him no matter what the cost, which would be brilliant for Villa, but probably not so good for the health of the hierarchies of the respective clubs and their supporters.