Ross Barkley has been hailed by former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who is impressed by the Aston Villa star’s “hungry” mindset.
Barkley has made an outstanding start to life at Villa Park, scoring twice in as many Premier League matches, against Liverpool and Leicester City.
His last-gasp winner away to the latter on Sunday night was a memorable moment and it summed up the confidence he is playing with currently.
Barkley traded Chelsea for Villa last month, sealing a move in order to earn more playing time.
Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson said he is hugely impressed by the 26-year-old’s hunger to play regularly, ahead of Euro 2020 next summer:
I love seeing players who have the ambition to play. Too many players do not have it.
We saw it with Danny Rose. He forced through a loan move because he was not getting anywhere near the Spurs team.
It was a move that was made with an eye to the European Championships. We are now in the same situation because of Covid, the Euros is again on the horizon.
To see a player of Ross Barkley’s quality leave Chelsea to get regular game time and try and force his way into the England squad is fantastic for him and great for Villa.
Dean Smith has a player that is hungry that also has bags of ability.
Read Aston Villa Verdict
Barkley could easily have taken his pay cheque and sat on the substitutes’ bench at Chelsea, but it is clear that he loves playing football, and has lofty ambitions to feature for England at the Euros.
It is looking an inspired to decision to head out on loan and early evidence suggests he and Villa are a match made in heaven.
There is no reason why Barkley cannot make the England squad next summer, especially as he brings a level of guile that most of the Three Lions’ midfielders fail to.
That’s no disrespect to those playesr – the likes of Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice are very effective in their own way – but Barkley has the ability to beat a man, run with the ball at pace and produce magic in the final third.
