Football can be a murky business at times, and West Brom have experienced this first-hand after their treatment over the deal for former academy player Louie Barry, who has committed the ultimate sin.
Former Albion youngster Louie Barry confirmed as a Villa player. Pictured below with ex-Albion youth coach Mark Harrison #wba https://t.co/T2LepmRUiS
— Joseph Masi (@JosephMasi_Star) January 23, 2020
The England U-17 striker returned to England this week to join Aston Villa after just half a year at FC Barcelona, with BBC Sport reporting that West Brom are yet to receive compensation for Barry’s move to the Catalonian side despite the transfer taking place in the summer of 2019.
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The deal left a bad taste in the mouth of West Brom supporters, and fans let their anger out on full display as some took to social media to give their thoughts on their former academy star joining the enemy after being played by Barcelona over the initial signing.
Here’s what a few West Brom fans had to say on Twitter…
The systems a joke but no point getting to wound up , the guys nothing special yet and no guarantee he ever will be , could quite easily be a League 2 player in a few years and we won’t be complaining then
— Dan (@Dan35731028) January 23, 2020
Stinks this does, shocking how this has gone on in modern football where finance supposed to be transparent. Fingers crossed the vile drop back down !
— Jon (@jonpog) January 23, 2020
Surely now Barca should have a seasons transfer ban. If I bought a house and then sold without paying the person I purchased it off I am sure I would be done for fraud.
— DeanH (@DeanDjh1976) January 23, 2020
— Jason Wheeler (@lebouf1976) January 23, 2020
— Richard Downing (@rjdowning) January 23, 2020
Stitched up. I blame uefa for the rule on compensation for setting it up in the first place.
— robert c. williams (@garwalbion) January 23, 2020
As per the BBC Sport article, Villa only had to pay a reported £800,000 for the signing of Barry.