£100k-a-week player shares what’s shocked him since joining Aston Villa

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Ross Barkley has admitted that he’s been left very surprised by how good Aston Villa are individually.

What a season Dean Smith’s side are having so far.

Aston Villa are second in the Premier League table after winning all four of their games this season – including a 7-2 demolition of Liverpool before the international break.

Remember, this is a team who finished one point above the relegation zone last season.

But Smith has pulled off some brilliant transfers during the summer – including signing Barkley on a season-long loan from Chelsea – and the former Everton midfielder has revealed that he really didn’t expect the Villans to be this good.

Barkley, who earns £100,000 per week, told The Guardian: “I’ve been surprised by the quality of the group of players, to be honest, for how low they finished last season.

“There are some really great players in the squad. Another thing I’ve noticed is that there are a lot of great communicators.”

Nobody at Aston Villa will be getting carried away with themselves, because things can change very quickly in football.

But Smith has a very talented spine at Bodymoor Heath these days, with Emiliano Martinez, Tyrone Mings, Barkley, Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins in there.

They host Leeds United at Villa Park tonight and although Marcelo Bielsa’s side are also enjoying a decent return to the Premier League, you really wouldn’t back against Barkley and his team-mates making it five from five.