Harvey Barnes now unlikely to return to Leicester City: reports

Harvey Barnes may not be recalled to Leicester City this January after all. That is, if you believe the latest rumours and reports:

An Adrien Silva saga it is not, yet Harvey Barnes’s recall to Leicester City seems to be dragging on. We can assume the latest setback for an expected homecoming is West Bromwich Albion doing anything they can to keep the starlet.

Should Barnes return, he must play; Claude Puel often puts faith into youth. With the player’s form, it is difficult to argue that the time is not right for his return and entry into regular first team Premier League football.

If the Foxes want their academy graduate, he will return. However, the King Power club only have a short window to call the player back. Now, following everyone applicable in the media anticipating the wingman coming home, it looks unlikely he will.

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Firstly, Birmingham Mail say Barnes will learn this week of his fate: to spend the remainder of the season in the West or East Midlands. The West Brom expert outlet says of the situation:

"“Foxes boss Claude Puel recalled Barnes early from his loan at Barnsley last season, although that decision was made at the start of the 2018 winter transfer window.“Puel has kept an open mind on recalling Barnes this season, but is now running out of time to sanction a similar directive.“Sources close to the player believe Barnes is ‘highly unlikely’ to be recalled by Leicester this month, although that could change.”"

It seems deliberation between the two clubs, as opposed to a bombshell of fresh information, has unsettled this superbly profitable loan. For both teams Barnes’s growth theoretically increases, along with improving WBA’s Championship position.

While Leicester Mercury appear to agree, stating: Fousseni Diabate’s loan move to Turkey will not effect the possible reuniting of Leicester City and Barnes. Meaning, even if the 23-year-old leaves, the 21-year-old is not necessarily an automatic replacement as such.

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Although LCFC LIVE did recently quote Puel as subtly swaying towards a recall, by saying: “We will see”; appearing to give an indication of a Barnes return. Finally on the matter, Mercury’s Rob Tanner speculates:

"“However, it is now looking less likely that Barnes will be recalled and he is now expected to remain at Albion for the remainder of the season.”"

At the time of writing, Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports tweeted Leicester are still “likely” to call Barnes back. Although the club is yet to decide, according to Dorsett.

It is time to test the loaned forward in the Premier League. With all due respect to Puel, he should recall Barnes; and with all due respect to the Baggies, it is not their choice – we can all see why they’re so keen to hold on to the extremely promising player. The decision is imminent.