Sheffield Wednesday keen on January signing of 14-goal Aston Villa hotshot

Danny Röhl has spoken of his desire to add exciting Premier League talent to the Sheffield Wednesday squad in January - with Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry a name the Owls recruitment department are keeping an eye on, The Star understands.

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Sources have told The Star Wednesday are one of a ‘boatload’ of Championship clubs priming themselves for a race to take the former Barcelona academy man, who has torn up League One this season by netting 14 goals in 18 games so far on loan at Stockport County. It is possible the 21-year-old will be recalled by Villa at the turn of the year so that the Premier League side can see him tested at second tier level with reports from the Midlands suggesting he will be called back. The Star is told that decision is not yet final.

Competition for the attacker, who operates primarily from the left wing, is set to be fierce should Villa decide to recall him. Our sister title BirminghamWorld suggest Middlesbrough are one of the other clubs keeping tabs on the youngster, who burst through the ranks with West Brom before a short stint in Barca’s La Masia academy. He signed for Villa in 2021 and has undertaken loan spells in the EFL with Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, MK Dons, Salford and more recently Stockport.

With over a month still yet to run before the winter window opens, it remains to be seen how far Wednesday’s initial interest is taken - or where they would likely be placed in the running should Barry be made available. The Owls have an existing off-field relationship with Villa, of sorts, having come up against them in a behind-closed-doors friendly at their Bodymoor Heath training ground in October.

“I have spoken before about what we need,” Röhl told The Star last week on the club’s preparations for January. “It is not about signing players for the squad, we must sign impact players, different players. This is what we have to try.

“I said this in the summer that we need such a player from the Premier League clubs to improve the squad. It’s not always just about convincing the players, you need the full package to look at. To get players from the Premier League clubs would increase our level.”