Chelsea to decide on Barkley’s future ‘in the summer’
Chelsea are going to wait until the summer to decide on Ross Barkley’s future, who is on loan with Aston Villa, according to reports.
The Blues spent around £15m to sign Barkley from Everton in January 2018. He has made 86 appearances for the Londoners since then and he scored eleven goals.
With him falling down the pecking order at the start of this season, Frank Lampard allowed him to join Aston Villa on loan until the end of the campaign.
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The midfielder has missed eight games this term because of a hamstring injury. Yet he has impressed for Villa on the whole. He has notched four goals and one assist from his 13 outings across all competitions.
Barkley still has two years remaining on his contract with Chelsea. It is possible that his switch to Villa could be made permanent if he continues to impress before the end of the season.
The Daily Mail have reported that Barkley and his parent club are “happy to assess the situation” in the summer with regards to his next move.
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith recently told Birmingham Live that he has been pleased with Barkley’s form, but there have not “been any discussions” over a permanent deal yet:
“We contacted Chelsea at the start of the season about taking him on loan, and we are thankful they allowed it.
“He is playing football, playing with a smile on his face and enjoying it at the moment.”