QPR should consider hijacking Stockport County’s Aston Villa transfer swoop:
The R’s should be looking at a potential move for Louie Barry, as Chris Willock looks increasingly set to leave Loftus Road.
Louie Barry is being scouted by many teams following an outstanding season at Stockport County in League Two.
And, with multiple Championship clubs reportedly interested in the versatile forward, according to TEAMtalk, Queens Park Rangers and Marti Cifuentes should look to hijack a deal being attempted by Stockport to replace winger Chris Willock, who appears to be leaving Loftus Road.
Despite a long-term muscle ailment that held him out of action for over six months at Stockport, Barry has made enough of an impact to warrant a permanent look from the Greater Manchester club.
In his brief stints with Dave Challinor’s team, he scored nine goals and four assists in 20 League Two games, and his start to the 2023-24 season was especially impressive.
Barry scored in seven straight games for the Hatters after joining on loan from Aston Villa, a feat that no post-war player had accomplished for the club.
During August and September, it was clear that he was a cut above the rest, both at Stockport and against League Two opponents such as Wrexham, with his five-star performance against the North Wales club raising questions about just how talented Barry is.
Louie Barry would be a terrific fit for QPR if they pursued the Aston Villa trade.
Acquiring Louie Barry on a permanent or loan basis would undoubtedly benefit all parties involved at Queens Park Rangers, as it would allow the winger to step up into the Championship and play in place of Chris Willock.
At the age of 20, he has already gained valuable experience, having played on loan for Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, MK Dons, Salford City, and now Stockport County.
Barry, who has previously attended Barcelona’s renowned La Masia program, possesses all of the tools necessary to develop into a superb player.
His first burst of talent came in 2021, when he scored a stunning goal for Aston Villa in the FA Cup against Liverpool, garnering attention to a man who could confront pressure in front of goal against one of club football’s most formidable opponents.
Manager Marti Cifuentes encourages versatility in his 4-2-3-1 formation, adopting much of his football philosophy from Hammarby.
He prefers tight passing and forward mobility, both of which Barry excels at. For Stockport County, he cut inside and confused full-backs with relative ease, developing into a goal-scoring machine when fit – though Dave Challinor’s narrow formation saw the attacker play through the middle rather than out wide, where he had spent the previous few seasons playing for multiple clubs.
If Willock leaves on a free, a deal with Villa for Barry – whether on loan or permanently – is plausible given Unai Emery’s attacking depth, suggesting the kid is unlikely to get an opportunity at the highest level in the near future.
Naturally, Barry’s next step would be League One, but there’s an argument to be made that he’s talented enough today to go straight past that level and into the Championship, given what we saw before his hamstring injury in 2023.
It may be out of QPR’s hands, however, as a deal for Aston Villa’s Barry is hotly fought.
Mark Stott, the ambitious Stockport owner, said in an interview that he intends to buy Barry for the Edgeley Park club, and he appeared to be pretty sure that he could pull off the transaction.
Sentiment aside, if Championship teams are eager and prepared to provide Barry game time, they will most likely outbid Stockport for his services – and QPR should be among them.
