Aston Villa midfielder Ross Barkley has been out of action with a hamstring injury since November, missing seven Premier League games and one FA Cup clash, but he is on the recovery trail and is stepping things up in training.
The 27-year-old was pictured undergoing a session with the first-team ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City in images shared by the Villans’ official Twitter channel. It’s likely to be very well received by Villa supporters, many of whom have previously voiced their appreciation for the midfielder.
👀 @RBarkley8 pic.twitter.com/RqT5uTpWhZ
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 19, 2021
Barkley has made nine appearances for Villa since joining on a season-long loan from Chelsea, scoring three goals and supplying one assist. His last outing came in Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in mid-November and saw him limp off after five minutes through injury. [Transfermarkt]
He was training at the end of December but wasn’t making the matchday squad as his condition hadn’t improved enough, but it does appear that Barkley could now be available for selection.
The England international has impressed so much that Villa want to turn his move permanent at the end of the season, but a deal may depend on Chelsea’s demands. The Blues have Barkley contracted until 2023 and may request £30m for his signature.
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If Dean Smith can finally name John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Ross Barkley in the midfield engine room, it means that Jack Grealish can be pushed out wide in his most influential role and has a creative midfielder with whom to link up.
The sight of the on-loan midfielder back in training is one which will surely please everybody of an Aston Villa persuasion.
