Former Barca and Baggie boy wizard Louie vows to weave his magic for Villa this season.. and help save them from the drop.. even though he’s sweet 16

TEENAGE star Louie Barry aims to break into Aston Vlla’s first team this season and help his beloved hometown team beat the drop.

The 16-year-old is a Villa fan who came through West Brom’s academy (right, inset) before a controversial switch to Barcelona last summer.

And the forward is determined to play a part in helping the Carabao Cup finalists stay in the top flight after returning to England to join them last month.

“I’m fighting for the first team,” said Barry. “What I want to do first at Villa is play really well and go up the ranks.

“My main ambition is to be in the first team by the end of the season. I was born in Aston. I’ve supported Villa all my life.”

Barry, who turns 17 in June, is already too old to become the club’s youngest Premier League player. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy played as sub in a 4-0 victory at Sunderland in March 2015 aged 16 years, six months and 14 days.

But Barry could eclipse his namesake Gareth Barry, who was Villa’s previous youngest at 17 years, two months and nine days.

Making Villa’s first team is sure to rub even more salt into West Brom’s wounds given they were dismayed when he left for Barca after rejecting a contract.

The Baggies are still waiting for compensation from the Spanish club, but are entitled to just a fixed £235,000 payment as the youngster moved overseas.

Their frustrations have been compounded by Barca making a quick profit, with Villa paying an initial £1million for Barry although that could rise by another £2m.

Albion are considering legal action as their academy chief Mark Harrison (above, with Barry) handed in his notice to take the same role at Villa shortly after Barry snubbed all their overtures.

Barry said: “I understand they’re quite fired up about it. But I loved West Brom as a club.

“I was there from the age of six to 15. I’ll always have love for them and will never say a bad word

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Wolves Middlesbrough Wigan Tottenham Blackburn against them. I really enjoyed it at Barcelona. But I’m coming back home and came to Aston Villa to work with Mark Harrison.” Barry is in Marbella for three England Under-17 warm-up games ahead of next month’s Euro qualifiers and averages more than a goal a game in the Three Lions youth ranks. He has been sought after since 2018 when he scored 10 goals in five games for England Under-15s in Italy. He won the golden boot at the Valde-Marne tournament, where England Under-16s were victorious. “I’ve scored 21 goals in 20 appearances for the Under-15s, 16s and 17s,” added Barry.

“I want to play in the Under-17s Euros in Estonia in May.”

Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said: “The appointment of Mark Harrison will oversee a complete rebuild of our academy.” 04/05/2019 13/05/2007 04/05/2013 23/08/2003 16/08/2008