Ross Barkley surely seals summer exit as dreadful stats emerge in Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Ross Barkley failed to have a positive impact during Aston Villa’s 3-1 loss to Newcastle in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Although the Villans were reduced to 10 men after Marco Bizot’s red card on the stroke of half-time, the former England international was ineffective in attacking midfield.
Barkley has faced fitness issues since joining the Villans in 2024 and he has been unable to get a consistent run of games under Unai Emery.
The 32-year-old’s last goal came in the 4-0 victory against Bournemouth on 9 November, but that definitely could be his last in a Villa shirt.
Barkley’s contract runs out in June, and although there is an option to extend it by one year, Emery may debate whether to keep him after his performances at Villa Park.
Ross Barkley fails to impress Unai Emery in Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Emery had given him a chance in the number 10 role as he rotated his side for the match, but Barkley clearly looked out of sorts in a tempestuous game.
According to Sofascore, Barkley only won 40 per cent of his ground duels, while completing just three touches in the opposition box against Newcastle.
The 32-year-old was then subbed off in the 65th minute for Emi Buendia, and it might be his last start for a while.
| Stat | Barkley |
| Minutes played | 65 |
| Shots | 0 |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Pass accuracy | 86% |
With Villa now out of the FA Cup, he hasn’t got a good chance of being named in the starting lineup for any remaining games this season.
He wasn’t named in the recent Europa League squads in January due to injury, and he hasn’t done much to convince his head coach that he deserves to be selected for continental action.
As his contract expires at the end of the campaign, the performance on Saturday might have sealed his fate as an Aston Villa player.
The Sofascore graphic above shows that he is clearly viewed as a squad player, and Villa may look to offload him to balance their books.
Ross Barkley is clearly past his best at Aston Villa
Despite being one of England’s most promising talents 10 years ago, his most successful season in the top flight came just a few years ago.
Barkley was one of the best players in the league for Luton Town during the 2023-24 campaign, registering nine goal contributions in 32 games.
He started 30 Premier League games for the Hatters, but this season, he has just one league start to his name in B6.
Having not created a single chance against Newcastle, Barkley looks like a player who simply can’t keep up with the high standard of football.
It will be interesting to see what Villa’s decision is at the end of the campaign, but Saturday’s display certainly won’t have done him too many favours.
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