Six-team transfer chase for 14-goal Aston Villa ace as manager addresses latest rumours

Sheffield United are the latest club to be linked with a move for Aston Villa forward Louie Barry.

Our friends at The Star is reporting that the Blades are one of many Championship clubs interested in taking Barry on for the second half of the season. Barry is currently on a season long loan at Stockport County where he is thriving but there has been talk about a possible recall.

Leeds United, Middlesbrough, and Sheffield Wednesday are all said to hold an interest in the 21-year-old. Burnley, and Sunderland were recently added to the list of admirers. Football Insider report that Boro are leading the race for the young forward and that Villa are keen for the player to remain playing regularly, and so there are doubts he would get that at Leeds who are involved in a promotion charge.

Barry is in to his second spell at Edgeley Park after playing for them last season. He had an injury-hit spell last season, but still managed to provide 13 goal contributions from 22 games. This term he's been on top form despite playing at a higher level. He's got 15 goals and an assist in 21 games, and leads the top scorer charts in League One.

Stockport are involved in a promotion race and currently find themselves in fifth with Barry playing a pivotal role. Manager Dave Challinor admits it is 'out of our control' in regards to what Villa decide to do with Barry but that he believes he would benefit from remaining at Stockport for the remainder of the season.

"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 said to 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."