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‘Going places’: Agbonlahor & Aston Villa man react to Ross Barkley signing

Photo by CLIVE ROSE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by CLIVE ROSE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 21: Ross Barkley of Chelsea and Christian Pulisic of Chelsea prepare to come on the pitch during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Chelsea FC at Villa Park on June 21, 2020 in Birmingham, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Gabby Agbonlahor and Aston Villa boss Dean Smith have reacted to the club signing Ross Barkley from Chelsea today.

The Everton academy product was on Chelsea’s bench last night as they were dumped out of the League Cup at the hands of Tottenham.

But he will now be wearing the Villa colours for the rest of the season and a certain ex-striker is seemingly pleased that he’s landed on their doorstep.

This is what he wrote on Twitter, but on Aston Villa’s Instagram page, he wrote: ‘This club is going places’.

Villa’s magic man on the touchline, Smith, also shared his thoughts on the Barkley loan deal and he lauded the talent the England man has at his feet.

“Capturing a player of Ross’s quality is a real coup for our Club and I am certain he will thrive here and improve our team,” Smith told Villa’s official website.

John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Conor Hourihane have been Villa’s three midfielders this season and it could be argued that the Irishman will miss out.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: John McGinn of Aston Villa battles for possession with John Lundstram of Sheffield United during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United at Villa Park on September 21, 2020 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Tim Goode - Pool/Getty Images)
Photo by Tim Goode – Pool/Getty Images

Luiz is the more defensive-minded of those players, so he won’t miss out, whilst McGinn has been Villa’s best player, after Jack Grealish, even since Dean Smith walked through the doors two years ago.

This now makes Villa a more exciting prospect and it will ease the burden on their boyhood fan, who now has a player who can match him in the ball-carrying category.