Former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley closing in on transfer to Champions League club for 'modest fee'

Former Everton Ross Barkley is closing in on a move to Aston Villa, reports suggest.

Barkley has rejuvenated his career after spending the 2023-24 season at Luton Town. Despite the Hatters’ relegation from the Premier League, the midfielder has been a standout. In total, he scored five goals and recorded six assists in 37 appearances for Rob Edwards’ plucky side.

That has earned him a move back to the upper echelons of the top flight. The Guardian reports that he will join Aston Villa for a second spell. He spent the 2020-21 campaign at Villa Park on loan from Chelsea. Barkley’s contract at Luton is suggested to run into next season and Villa will pay a ‘modest fee’.

The 30-year-old was one of the Premier League’s best upcoming talents after breaking through the ranks at Everton. In total, he played 179 times for his boyhood club, netting 17 goals. But he left in controversial circumstances when joining Chelsea in January 2017 for a fee of £15 million.

However, Barkley largely struggled at Stamford Bridge, playing only 100 times and scoring 12 goals and spent a year at Villa. Last season, he moved to Ligue 1 outfit Nice in a bid to relaunch himself and managed four goals in 27 matches.

He then made a leftfield switch to Luton, who were newly promoted to the Premier League, where he thrived. Now the Guardian reports the 30-year-old will join a Villa side who finished fourth this season and will compete in the Champions League next term.

Speaking last month, Barkley said: “I want to play in the Premier League. I want to play in Europe again. I feel like for the next three years maybe I’ll still be in my prime years.”