Aston Villa will reportedly assess the situations of a number of players currently out on loan, including Louie Barry and Tommi O’Reilly, during the January transfer window.
While we were able to strengthen Unai Emery’s squad in the summer, we also opted to trim it down prior to the transfer deadline with a string of loan exits to whittle down the numbers.
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Various individuals will likely remain where they are, including Samuel Iling Jr and Enzo Barrenechea at Bologna and Valencia respectively, but according to The Athletic, there could be discussions in the coming weeks over others and potentially recalling them before sending them out on loan elsewhere.
The report claims that Barry’s impressive form at Stockport County means that he could be brought back by Villa before being loaned out to a Championship side for the second half of the campaign, thus giving him a chance to test himself at a higher level and to help determine what the next step is for the 21-year-old.
In contrast, both O’Reilly and Lewis Dobbin have struggled for consistency in terms of their respective roles and minutes at Shrewsbury Town and West Bromwich Albion, and so it remains to be seen if they are called back and a more favourable loan destination is found for them from January onwards.
It’s a fundamental part of our transfer strategy moving forward, as ultimately these players will either form part of Emery’s plans for next season, or will be sold on for a profit to try and help balance our books and allow us spend on other reinforcements.
In turn, it’s in everyone’s best interests for them to flourish while out on loan, and so the touted steps above make sense for their individual reasons, and it’s hoped that we can sort those situations out in the January transfer window to suit all concerned.
Importantly though, there is a need to balance that with strengthening Emery’s squad in the more short-term future if he feels we must improve in certain areas, and so it promises to be an interesting window, albeit the last couple of years have perhaps taught us that Emery, Monchi and the Villa hierarchy perhaps prefer to do the bulk of their work and investment in the summer.
