Aston Villa ‘reach agreement’ to complete first summer signing


Unai Emery appears to have his man as the Villans have reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with priority target Ross Barkley, who is set to join from the recently relegated Luton Town.
The 33-time England international is close to resigning for Villa, four years after arriving on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea. His first spell wasn’t overly memorable as he netted just three goals in 24 appearances but he’s since regained his form.
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Hide AdFootball Insider reports Barkley, following negotiations with Villa, has agreed a two-year contract with the option for a further 12 months. It’s claimed there’s no transfer fee involved due to a clause if Luton were relegated.
This comes after the Daily Mail published a day earlier that Villa had offered the player a three-year deal. That particular report suggests several other Premier League clubs were keen on the transfer but Villa muscled themselves in front, with Champions League qualification a key aid in doing so.


Barkley came through the ranks at Everton as one of the most promising midfielders in England but his £15 million transfer to Chelsea didn’t work out as hoped. The 12 goals and 11 assists contributed in 100 matches didn’t live up to the hype, so he left for free in June 2022.
His next move, to Nice, helped him regain some of his earlier career form. Starts weren’t overly regular but the year in France was useful for building up fitness ahead of a return to the Premier League, with Luton. Having been the Hatters’ best player, Barkley has now earned himself a switch back to the big time, the Champions League.
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