Saikat Mandal

Mon 8 August 2022 10:40, UK

Aston Villa are one of the clubs showing keen interest in signing Chelsea forward Ross Barkley, but they must ditch those plans.

According to journalist, Simon Phillips, Villa are one of the clubs that are showing keen interest in signing Barkley, but they face competition from Newcastle and West Ham as well.

Despite getting Phillipe Coutinho on a permanent deal, Steven Gerrard is still looking to bolster his attacking midfield areas, and hence there’s an interest in Barkley who has become surplus to requirements at Chelsea.

“With Ross Barkley, he’s got a lot of other clubs interested in him at the moment so it’s not just Everton. He’s got Brighton, Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa and Celtic. So got plenty of options to go to,” said Phillips to Give Me Sport.

The 28-year-old could be available at a cut-price deal, he would still appeal to a host of Premier League clubs.

The England midfielder is highly experienced, but his signing doesn’t make enough sense for Villa.

Barkley has struggled to make an impact at Chelsea, and he struggled as well during the loan spell at Aston Villa despite making an encouraging start.

He has often struggled with his fitness which remains a major issue while signing him. There’s no guarantee that he will keep himself fit throughout the campaign, making it hard for any manager to build a team around him.

On top of that, Barkley will be on high wages, and he has shown little inclination to reduce his demands.

Carney Chukwuemeka has left for Chelsea, but Barkley coming in to replace him doesn’t look like a smart idea.

Moreover, he is not someone who has enjoyed a rich vein of form in recent years, and therefore clubs are only relying on his past reputation and talent.

There are better options elsewhere, and Villa must avoid signing him at all costs. Gerrard would be taking a big gamble should Villa sign him.

In other Aston Villa news, Ian Wright was very concerned by the defending on display in the opening game loss.