Sheffield United join Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United in transfer race for 15-goal forward amid uncertainty
Sheffield United join rivals Wednesday and host of Championship clubs in race for 15-goal hotshot Louie Barry
Sheffield United have joined a host of rival Championship clubs - including their neighbours Wednesday - in the race for League One hotshot Louie Barry, The Star understands. The Aston Villa youngster has scored 15 times in 21 appearances this season on loan at Stockport County in the division below the Blades.
The 21-year-old has also been linked with Leeds United in January amid speculation that Villa may recall him from his Stockport spell and look to test him at a higher level, with the Blades keen on a wide player who can also offer a goal threat as they look to build on their good start in the promotion race.
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Barry is in his second loan spell at County, first joining them last season when they were in League Two. He also has experience of senior football from loan spells with Ipswich Town, Swindon, MK Dons and Salford City before his real breakthrough season this term. He was named League One player of the month last week and County boss Dave Challinor admitted recently that Barry’s future is out of his hands.
"When you take a player on loan, especially from a Premier League club, the reality is you know what you're getting going into," Challinor told BBC Radio Manchester.
"We obviously hope that he can stay with us and score another 15 goals in the back end of the season and quite selfishly say that monetises his value more than going to a Championship club and not playing the same amount of minutes that he's having here. That's a decision that's out of our control."