Ross Barkley set to join Villa as midfielder enjoys resurgence
Aston Villa looks set to soon make their first significant move in the summer transfer window. Several reports out of England claim that the Birmingham-based club has agreed a deal with Luton Town for Ross Barkley. The move for the midfielder is supposedly worth around $6.3 million.
Although Luton did get relegated back to the Championship, Barkley shined for the Hatters. The former England international collected five goals and added four assists in the 2023/24 campaign. Not only did he grab goals from midfield, but he also performed well against tough opponents. Barkley managed to score goals against Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Manchester City during the latest season.
Barkley joined Luton last summer yet will now depart after the club’s aforementioned relegation. The midfielder does have a familiarity with Villa. The West Midlands club previously brought in Barkley on loan from Chelsea during the 2020/21 campaign. Despite the relatively decent campaign at the time, the Englishman returned to the Blues the following season.
Veteran midfielder claims that his prime years are ahead
Barkley’s successful season with Luton came after the player’s career was seemingly floundering. After being a highly-rated youngster with Chelsea, the midfielder signed on with French side Nice as a free agent in 2022. However, he then left the club after just one season in Ligue 1.
Despite being a free agent once again, there was not exactly a massive tug-of-war to sign Barkley. Luton eventually came calling just three days before the start of their debut Premier League campaign. While his overall value has dropped significantly over the years, Barkley has certainly experienced a resurgence of his career.
The now 30-year-old playmaker recently stated that his best years may still be ahead of him. “I feel like for the next three years maybe I’ll still be in my prime years,” Barkley explained to Sky Sports last month.
“I’m enjoying all the moments because I know over the last few years there’s been ups and downs, frustrations and great moments.”
“And now I feel ready to be at my best, consistent, in a great place in my head as well. I haven’t had a lot of mileage over the last few years in my legs, so I feel fresh. I know it’s the last games of the season coming up, but I feel like it’s the start of the season.”
Ross Barkley gives Villa more quality options in midfield
Villa’s pending move for Barkley makes a lot of sense. The deal will not exactly break the bank, but the midfielder has shown that there is still gas left in the tank. Villa, however, has a fairly set core group in the middle of the pitch and Barkley could very well be used mostly as a substitute.
Manager Unai Emery currently has John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Youri Tielemans, and the injured Jacob Ramsey in midfield. Assuming all of these players remain with the team, Barkley may find it difficult to nail down regular playing time. Nevertheless, the club is set to compete in the Champions League next season and will need a bigger squad.
Barkley also essentially replaces Nicolo Zaniolo in Emery’s team. The Italian only played with Villa during the 2023/24 season while on loan from Galatasaray. Fellow midfielder Morgan Sanson was also officially sold to Barkley’s former side Nice. Along with Barkley, Villa is reportedly interested in signing USMNT star Weston McKennie from Juventus as well. But, that may come at the cost of Douglas Luiz in a swap deal with Juventus.
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