Aston Villa have completed the signing of midfielder Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea till the end of the 2020/21 season. The 26-year-old is the latest in the list of high-profile Chelsea names to be loaned out this month, with the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Michy Batshuayi, Conor Gallagher and Davide Zappacosta also having left Stamford Bridge in September.
Barkley has slipped down the pecking order at Chelsea in recent times, and has played only 40 minutes off the bench in the Premier League so far this campaign. He was an unused substitute in the Blues’ 3-3 draw against West Bromwich Albion.
Barkley’s last appearance for Chelsea was therefore in their 6-0 EFL Cup win over Championship side Barnsley, a game where he played the full 90 and also bagged a goal. However that leaves him Cup-tied for Villa’s midweek clash against Stoke, and that means he might end up making his debut against defending champions Liverpool this weekend.
Villa are the third club Barkley has joined on loan- he had previously had temporary stints at both Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds during his time at Everton.
The Midlands outfit have had a promising start to the new league season, beating both Sheffield United and Fulham in their opening two games, and are yet to concede a goal.
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