We're delighted to welcome Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist as each week he'll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club...

Aston Villa must resist the urge to recall youngster Louie Barry from his Stockport County loan after his prolific start to the season, according to Dan Bardell.

The 20-year-old has netted for the League Two outfit in seven consecutive games, including a spot-kick in the Hatters' 3-1 win over Accrington Stanley on Saturday (30 September). In the fourth division so far, he has scored seven goals and earned two assists in 10 appearances, seeing Stockport to eighth in the table.

As reported by TEAMTalk (23 September), Emery and Villa are having "serious thoughts" about recalling Barry from his loan in Greater Manchester to test him at a higher level.

Bardell noted that the journey to the Villa first-team was still long for Barry. However, he has sent a plea to the club and claimed that after a string of middling loans to the likes of Salford City and MK Dons, Barry should be kept in Stockport where he's clearly enjoying life.

Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: "He obviously came with quite a high profile considering they signed him from Barcelona. To have been there at some point, he's obviously got something about him, but I don't envisage him getting anywhere near the first team any time soon.

"He's physically built more like a normal 18-year-old. It's very hard to break into the first team as a striker, you almost have to go down the leagues and back up in some respects.

"I think that will probably be what happens with Barry. It's good to see him having a successful loan at the moment because he's had a couple that haven't gone brilliantly. In some ways, I'd be cautious of pulling him back from a loan, it might be a case where he's better left at Stockport.

"Long may it continue, he obviously feels at home there."

In other Aston Villa news, a BBC pundit has spoken on Youri Tielemans' "friction" with Unai Emery at Villa Park.

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