Former Chelsea star set for surprise move to Aston Villa: Reports

Aston Villa are allegedly close to snapping up former Chelsea star and Luton Town midfielder Ross Barkley ahead of the next campaign.

Barkley, 30, relished a fine season for the Hatters after arriving on a Bosman move from OGC Nice last summer. He has netted five goals and registered five assists in 37 matches, including 34 starts, for his club.

Now, according to The Guardian, Aston Villa are keen to permanently sign Barkley in the upcoming summer transfer window. They deem the star to be a fine addition to their ranks ahead of their first season in the UEFA Champions League since the 1982-83 campaign.

Barkley, who has also been linked with Manchester United in the recent times, has a rich experience of playing in the Premier League. He has recorded 34 goals and 32 assists in 264 Premier League matches.

An Everton youth product, Barkley moved to Chelsea for close to £15 million in the winter of 2018. After struggling to get minutes at the Blues, he joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal in the 2020-21 term.

During his time at Villa Park, the ex-Chelsea man scored three goals and provided one assist in 24 overall matches. On the other hand, he registered 12 goals and 11 assists in 100 appearances for the Blues.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa are thought to be planning to rope in two midfielders, a full-back, and a forward this summer. They are also hoping to part ways with Philippe Coutinho and Jacob Ramsey to raise funds.

Chelsea not in talks over fresh contract for Conor Gallagher, claims Fabrizio Romano

Speaking to Caught Offside for his Daily Briefing column, famed journalist Fabrizio Romano offered insight into Conor Gallagher's future at Stamford Bridge. He said:

"There have been fresh rumors about Conor Gallagher's future with some talk that he could be used in a swap deal with Aston Villa for Jhon Duran. My latest understanding is that there's still no conversation over a new deal, so it's up to the club to decide what they want to do. There's interest from many clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, but there's nothing new in terms of negotiations."

Gallagher, who was allegedly linked with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United last summer, has a contract at Chelsea until June 2025.

The 24-year-old midfielder thrived under Mauricio Pochettino this term, registering seven goals and nine assists in 50 matches for Chelsea.