Aston Villa are aiming to sign Luton Town star Ross Barkley on a three-year contract, as Unai Emery plans to make the midfielder his first signing of the summer transfer window.
Luton Town signed Ross Barkley, 30, on a free transfer from Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice upon their promotion to the Premier League last year. The Englishman was undoubtedly the Hatters’ standout performer in their first campaign in the Premier League, bagging five goals and four assists in 32 appearances. Despite his best efforts, the central midfielder couldn’t help Luton Town maintain their top-flight status.
Following a brilliant individual season at the Kenilworth Road, there have been calls from fans and pundits alike for Barkley to be recalled to the England squad. The 30-year-old has attracted interest from several Premier League outfits ahead of the summer transfer window. However, Aston Villa have reportedly made their first move to sign Barkley, as they are looking to prise him away from Luton by offering Champions League football.
The Villans are set to embark on a Champions League campaign next season after finishing fourth in the 2023/24 campaign. Unai Emery did an excellent job at Villa Park and deserves to be backed wholeheartedly by the club in the transfer market.
Unai Emery keen to bring Ross Barkley to Aston Villa
Ross Barkley previously had a loan spell at Aston Villa in the 2020/21 campaign, having arrived from Chelsea. During that stint, he netted three goals in 24 games. A move to French club OGC Nice followed in 2022 before his free transfer to Luton Town in 2023.
The 33-cap England international’s career has seen a resurgence after a tough period marked by injury issues and inconsistent playing time. He has shown this past season that there is still a lot of gas left in the tank, and while Barkley was relegated with Luton, he has expressed a strong desire to return to the Premier League and compete in European competitions. Villa, who will participate in the Champions League next season, wants to bolster their squad by making the 30-year-old their first summer signing.
Under the leadership of Unai Emery, Barkley is expected to play a crucial role as a backup to Douglas Luiz, providing his experience and versatility to help the Villans achieve their 2024/25 campaign targets. The Midlands club having offered the ex-Everton star a three-year deal, it is now on Barkley’s court whether to accept the terms or not.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
