Celtic make enquiry to sign exciting star who could be their next Tim Weah

Despite their excellent season so far, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers isn’t satisfied, seeking reinforcements in the January transfer window.

On Tuesday night, the Hoops required a 93rd-minute Arne Engles penalty to salvage a 3-3 draw with Dundee concluding a chaotic night at Dens Park.

The Celts were involved in an even more noteworthy 3-3 draw last month, defeating fierce rivals Rangers after a penalty shootout in the League Cup Final, with Kasper Schmeichel the Hampden hero.

Given that they’re currently 16 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, much focus is on Celtic’s Champions League campaign, currently 21st in the gigantic league table, on course to reach the knockout stages, ahead of a pivotal meeting with the competition’s bottom side BSC Young Boys next mid-week.

Before then, could Rodgers have a new signing or two to parade around Parkhead?

Celtic seeking to sign star on loan

According to Lyall Thomas and Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports, Celtic have ‘made enquiries’ about the possibility of signing Louie Barry on loan from Aston Villa for the rest of the season, facing competition from a number of EFL Championship clubs.

They add that Villa manager Unai Emery plans to ‘assess’ the youngster in training before making a concrete decision over his future.

Still only 21-years-old, Barry has already had an interesting career, first making headlines by joining Barcelona’s fabled la Masia academy from West Bromwich Albion in 2019, before returning to England a year later, signing for Aston Villa for a reported £880,000.

He was then in the spotlight again in January 2021; with the entire Villa first team and coaching staff in isolation due to a Covid-19 outbreak, the U23s were tasked with facing Premier League champions Liverpool in a fourth-round tie, with Barry firing the youngsters in front, an amazing moment, even if the Reds ultimately fought back to prevail 4-1.

Louie Barry’s career goal record

Barry has been sent out on various loans by Villa, appearing for Ipswich, Swindon, Milton Keynes, Salford and Stockport, staring for the Hatters this season, scoring 15 goals in just 24 appearances, named EFL League One player of the month in both August and November, as Dave Challinor’s side chase back-to-back promotions.

He’s been so impressive that Barry was recalled from his loan spell at Edgeley, his final appearance for Stockport coming against Villa’s fierce rivals Birmingham City on New Year’s Day, this was not a coincidence, waving farewell following a 1-1 draw.

It is clear that Barry has been getting better every season.

As outlined, even at the midway point of this campaign, Barry has already scored more goals than ever before, making the step up to England’s third tier, potentially ready to step up to an even higher level of football.

Daniel Storey of the i Paper notes that he was Barcelona’s “first English prodigy”, with Barry himself stating “I loved my time in Barcelona… but I decided to come back close to home [when] we had got wind that Covid-19 might be a big thing.”

So now, could a move north of Hadrian’s Wall be the next step in Barry’s young career?

Why Louie Barry would be a good signing for Celtic

Celtic are always looking for extra attacking firepower; in the era of five substitutes, even if Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda are the first-choice wingers, Rodgers always wants quality options to bring off the bench.

With Luis Palma reportedly on his way out and Yang Hyun-jun rarely suggesting he is up to the standard, Barry would certainly get opportunities as one of Celtic’s wide-forward, or potentially as one of the dual-eights.

The Hoops have certainly had successful loan signings in the past too, with Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Odsonne Édouard all shining on loan initially, before their deals were made permanent.

Given that this is unlikely to be the case for Barry, could he have a similar impact to that of Tim Weah’s brief stint in Glasgow six years ago?

Weah arrived on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2019, just 18-years-old at the time, but had an instantaneous impact, scoring during his first two appearances for the club against St Mirren and then Airdrieonians.

He would go on to score four times in just 17 appearances, becoming a fans’ favourite as the Hoops clinched the treble-treble.

The American has gone on to be a USMNT star, now a key player for Juventus, so if Barry arrives this month, he’ll also be hoping to have a major, if brief, impact at Celtic, just like Weah.