Derby County tipped to rekindle January interest as transfer target endures ‘difficult’ loan
Aston Villa forward Louie Barry is on loan at Sheffield United but has been sidelined in recent weeks
Peter Smith Stoke City reporter and Brian Dick Reach Football Correspondent
13:51, 28 Nov 2025
Louie Barry in action for Aston Villa earlier in pre-season(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Derby County are reportedly set to revive their pursuit of Louie Barry when the January transfer window opens.
The 22 year old has featured sparingly for Sheffield United during his loan spell from Aston Villa since Chris Wilder’s return as manager, and is presently back at his parent club undergoing treatment for a knee cyst.
He is anticipated to regain fitness next month, though it wouldn’t come as a shock if Villa decided to recall him in January.
BBC Sport report Stoke City are monitoring his potential availability for a loan move covering the second half of the campaign. He had featured on their radar last January following an impressive beginning to the season whilst on loan at League One side Stockport County, before ultimately joining Hull City on a deal the club subsequently couldn’t finance.
Hull are understood to retain interest alongside the Rams and Oxford United. Derby tried to sign him in January 2025 and were linked again in the summer.
Speaking to the Sheffield Star, Wilder commented: “He’s back (to Villa). It’s been a difficult loan for Louie but he’s got an injury at the moment.
“So Villa, as his parent club, are looking at that. Obviously, at the start, he played games and he was the previous manager’s signing. But his attitude has been spot on. He’s a good kid to work with.
“He’s obviously not played a lot of football while I’ve been here, with the change-up. Callum [O’Hare] playing off that left and Gus [Hamer] playing off that left until he was injured. Gus is coming back into it now and Brooksy [Andre Brooks] has played out wide, too.
“We’re assessing all the loans. So I’m not going to make an unbelievable, controversial statement. But there will be players who are on loan here, who will go back to their parent clubs. So we’re assessing that at the moment.
“But at the moment, Louis is here to the first of January. He’s injured at the moment, he’s back at Villa and we’ll just see how that progresses over the next couple of weeks.”
The Rams are without leading scorer Carlton Morris until at least the New Year with John Eustace suggesting they could dip into the market in the next window to make up for the former Luton Town forward’s absence.
Should the Rams go after Barry? Have your say here
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