Medical complete: Imminent signing training with Aston Villa ahead of transfer- Sources

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

18 Jan 2020, 1:30 pm

Louie Barry has started training with Aston Villa as the paperwork is completed on his transfer from Barcelona, Football Insider has learned.

The Midlands club are set to fend off late interest from Tottenham to sign the 16-year-old for a fee of around £3million.

A Villa source has told Football Insider that Barry has undergone a Villa medical and joined up with their Under-23s squad as he settles in at his new club.

The Midlands giants are just awaiting international clearance from Fifa before announcing him as their latest January signing.

This comes after Football Insider revealed that the striker visited Villa's training base on Thursday at Bodymoor Heath to put the finishing touches to the move.

He has started training with the development squad after returning to England six months following his transfer to Barcelona.

The wonderkid forward made a good impression in Spain and his speedy return to the Midlands has raised eyebrows at his former club West Brom, where he had spent 10 years.

It is not seen as a coincidence that former West Brom academy manager Mark Harrison joined Aston Villa last September in an almost identical role.

Barry has been capped by England at Under-17s level and is rated as one of the outstanding players in his age group in the country.

West Brom were left upset when he snubbed a long-term contract offer to quit last summer and there is likely to be strong emotions now he is joining their bitter rivals shortly afterwards.

In other Aston Villa news, it can be REVEALED that north-east big hitters have set their sights on signing senior man after contract opening.

Aston Villa