Doctor shares how long Ross Barkley needs to be fully fit for Aston Villa
Ross Barkley was absent from the matchday squad as Aston Villa played out a 0-0 draw against Newcastle on Saturday.
Unai Emery’s side managed to come away with a point despite being down to ten men against Newcastle at Villa Park.
Ezri Konsa’s red card put Aston Villa in danger, but they still kept a clean sheet at home.
This story includes exclusive opinion from injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar, a doctor in physical therapy and a sports scientist.
Ross Barkley weeks away from 100% fitness
Barkley has faced fitness issues at Aston Villa and has primarily been an option to bring off the bench for Emery.
Last season, while he played 20 Premier League games, only three of them were starts.
Having assessed his injury record in recent seasons, Dr Rajpal Brar does not see Barkley returning to 100 per cent fitness for weeks.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Everton | 179 | 27 | 25 |
| Chelsea | 100 | 12 | 11 |
| Aston Villa | 53 | 7 | 2 |
| Luton | 37 | 5 | 7 |
| OGC Nice | 28 | 4 | 2 |
| Sheff Wed | 13 | 4 | – |
| Leeds | 4 | – | 1 |
He told Villa News: “It sounds like he didn’t make the bench on the opening weekend due to match fitness, and that’s what Emery said as well.
“With his injury record, I reckon they might be more conservative with his runway and more gradual with ramping up his fitness training.
“Difficult to give an exact timeframe for 100 per cent fitness, but it will require multiple bounce matches, which will be weeks.”
Aston Villa may cash in on Ross Barkley
Aston Villa are unlikely to extend Barkley’s contract beyond June 2026 due to his persistent fitness issues, which limited him to just three Premier League starts last season.
With a strong midfield, Villa may prioritise signing younger talent in the future.
To avoid losing him for free, the club could look to cash in on Barkley either in the coming days or in the January transfer window.
It remains to be seen if Emery is open to the idea of letting one of his utility players leave without a replacement coming in.
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