Aston Villa have brought in Louie Barry from Barcelona this month.
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has told Four Four Two that he thinks Louie Barry ‘will be a hit’ for the club after seeing him in an Under-23 game.
Villa snapped up Barcelona attacker Barry earlier this month, adding him to their development ranks after just a few months in Catalunya.
Barry left West Bromwich Albion for Barcelona over the summer, but has made a swift return to the West Midlands in what looks like a major coup for Villa.
Barry completed his move last week after a wrangle getting him to Villa Park, and he almost immediately made his debut for Villa’s Under-23’s against Cardiff City.
The 16-year-old attacker remarkably scored in a 30-minute cameo, leaving Villa fans hugely excited about his future with the club.
Even with Villa’s striking issues, it’s still likely to be some time until Barry steps up to the Villa first team, but the early signs are encouraging.
Now, Smith has admitted that he thought Barry showed good movement during his brief cameo, and having seen him in action, feels that he will be a hit for Villa, even though he attempted to calm fans down in the process.
“Louie is an academy signing, first and foremost, but he is one with an awful lot of potential,” said Smith. “I saw him for 20 minutes in a game last week for the under-23s. He has really good movement and is a bright young kid. I am sure he will be a hit at Aston Villa, but we can’t forget he is only 16. I am excited by the potential he has got, that is for sure. That is why we have gone and got him,” he added.
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