I can't see any of those happening, although the first is the most likely outcome of any of them.

Villa won't sell him in January, I'm 100% sure of that. They certainly won't be selling him to us or anyone else for £4m, given that Jay Stansfield has just cost Birmingham £15m. That's before you got onto there being no chance we're spending £4m on anyone at this stage.

He also won't go back to Villa, as he's not going to get straight into their team, so that then puts him on the bench and not playing and/or back into the U21 league, which would be a step backwards.

Sadly, I think it's done and dusted that he'll be recalled and go back out on loan into the Championship, it just might not be decided on which club. DC's comments on the situation were a giveaway to me; he specifically said that we've got Louie until at least Mansfield; given it's a season-long loan, there'd be no reason to have had that agreement with Villa if conversations hadn't already been had about Barry's future.

I think that even before the Mansfield game it might be announced that he's being recalled following that game and it'll be his last for us and that way, he can have the send-off he deserves at the Mansfield game and move onto his new club ahead of the FA Cup 3rd Round weekend that he's avoided being cup-tied for.