In a move that surprised many on Wednesday morning, Aston Villa announced that they had signed Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley on a loan deal for the 2020-21 season.
Barkley, who joined the Blues in January 2018, had played just 40 minutes in Chelsea’s first three Premier League matches of the season, coming off of the bench twice. He found himself with less playing time than many of the other players in midfield competition like Danny Drinkwater, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, making a move the best move for both parties.
Despite getting lost in the shuffle with the Blues so far this season, Barkley has plenty of talent and could be a difference maker for Villa as they look to survive a second consecutive Premier League campaign.
At only 26 years old, Barkley brings a wealth of experience in England’s top flight to his new club, as he has played in 202 career matches in the competition, netting 25 goals and 30 assists. Barkley has also been a regular on the English national team, being capped 33 times since his 2013 debut.
Barkley has already joined his new club in training and could debut in their Sunday match against Liverpool.
