Aston Villa Could Be Sued by West Brom If They Sign Barcelona's Louie Barry

​Aston Villa are at risk of being sued by rivals West Brom over their potential signing of Barcelona's Louie Barry.

The 16-years-old is on the verge of a £3m transfer from the Catalan giants to Villa Park, but there could be legal issues over the deal.

He only signed for the Spanish champions over the summer from the Baggies, but the Mirror have reported that they are yet to receive any compensatory fee for the England Under-17 international.

West Brom tried to offer the youngster a new deal but he decided to walk out of the club in favour of a move to Barcelona. The Hawthorns club were upset over him rejecting contract after contract, but it has now been worsened as Barça look to make a profit on the Englishman by selling him to Aston Villa.

The Championship side are furious and are seeking legal advice with the distinct possibility that they might sue their fierce rivals over the move. 

It comes part of a sequence of events that also saw West Brom's academy manager Mark Harrison move to Villa Park after Barry left for Spain. 

“We have to make sure locally ​Aston Villa are the club everyone wants to come to," Harrison said in September in response to reports the pair could be reunited. “A player left West Bromwich Albion to go to Barcelona. He’s from Sutton Coldfield. He's a Villa fan, his dad’s a Villa fan. That just can’t happen in the future.”

The Baggies had already reported the move to FIFA after they didn't receive the £235,000 in compensation that they expected from Barcelona.

Barry is expected to be announced as a Villa player soon despite the risk that the ​transfer could result in a large, financial legal dispute between Villa and West Brom.