Football.London has recently reported that Aston Villa could move in for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley. It is understood that Steven Gerrard, who is set to be unveiled as the Villans’ new manager, is a big admirer of the English playmaker and could try to bring him to the West Midlands club next year.
Gerrard and Macca expect to see Ross Barkley 'excel' if part of a better team such as a #CFC or #THFC. #PLTonight https://t.co/k81c4CZtyH
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 31, 2016
Barkley’s Lack Of Game Time At Stamford Bridge This Season
Barkley had made a tough start to this campaign as he has struggled to impress at the centre of Thomas Tuchel’s midfield. The England international has only made eight appearances for the Blues but is still waiting to open his goal-scoring account for this season.
The 27-year-old has seen most of his game time come off the bench but has done well to average 1.5 shots, 1.5 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. Barkley has even been careful with his ball distribution from midfield after completing 84.9% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
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Will Barkley Be A Good Option For Aston Villa?
On his day, Barkley can be a consistent performer in central midfield as he has got the knack for scoring goals in the final third. More importantly, the English sensation has the vision to play a decisive pass in the opposition half and can also make a few intelligent runs with the ball going forward. He is even proficient at whipping in some dangerous crosses into the opponent’s penalty box.
At the moment, Barkley is not getting regular playing minutes at Stamford Bridge. Thus, it makes sense for the player to seek a move to a club like Aston Villa where he had an excellent loan spell last season. The Villans can also benefit from signing him on another loan deal or permanently this January as he will add a lot of goals and assists to their midfield department.
With all things considered, Barkley will be a decent option for the West Midlands giants as long as they are willing to play him regularly in top-flight football. Plus, the Chelsea outcast could go on to form a fruitful midfield partnership with John McGinn and Douglas Luiz at Villa Park in the coming seasons.
