Midfielder’s anticipated departure appears to be drawing closer

Luton midfielder Ross Barkley’s move to Premier League side Aston Villa is expected to go through early next month according to Spanish journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The 30-year-old had a stellar debut campaign at Kenilworth Road, as he played 32 times in the top flight, scoring five goals and adding four assists, which was enough to see him named Player of the Season, Junior Supporters’ Player and Signing of the Season at the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust presentation evening recently.

With the Hatters unable to achieve the safety at the top table of English football they needed to give themselves any realistic chance of keeping Barkley, who had been tipped with a move to Manchester United ever since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a 27.7% share of the Red Devils, the from pretty much the moment the campaign finished, Barkley was linked with a move to Villa Park.

It would be a return to club he spent the second half of the 2017-18 season on loan with from Chelsea, playing 24 times and scoring three goals, as giving an update on Twitter about the deal, Romano said: “EXCL: Aston Villa have reached verbal agreement with Luton Town to sign Ross Barkley. Understand fee will be around £5m. Final part needed, medical tests and player’s formal signature — agreement on player side expected at the beginning of July. Here we go, soon.”

It’s clear Barkley has developed a real affinity with Luton since arriving in Bedfordshire, but speaking to Sky Sports back in April, a move to a club who are playing Champions League football next term after finishing fourth would no doubt be too good to turn down. He 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. I believe I can compete with the top players at Man City and Arsenal. I feel like now my standards have maintained consistent levels this season.”