Ross Barkley is open to moving to Aston Villa on a permanent basis from Chelsea, according to the Birmingham Mail.
The 27-year-old is currently on-loan at Villa from Stamford Bridge and those in the Midlands are keen to sign him up on a permanent deal.
It is said that Barkley’s relationship with Villa’s boyhood fan and expert ball-carrier, Jack Grealish, is a key reason behind him wanting to sign on that dotted line.
Ahead of Christmas, this is no doubt delightful news for those Aston Villa supporters because it means that those in B6 are trying their utmost best to build a proper machine going forward.
Without having to settle in, both Grealish and Barkley have connected like they have been playing alongside each other for years.
The Chelsea man brings that added quality to the team, goalscoring threat and someone who is on Grealish’s wavelength.
If Villa can secure the services of Barkley then it would squash any claims of Grealish leaving either next month or more so in the summer.
And boost Dean Smith’s chances of guiding the club back to Europe either this season or during these coming seasons because it’s the long-term plan that is crucial here.
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