Ross Barkley had a terrible four-game loan spell at Leeds United when he was younger and was recalled by Everton. However, the attacking midfielder could be returning to Elland Road more than a decade later.
Leeds are in the market for attacking reinforcements as Daniel Farke feels they are short of options in the final third of the pitch. Creativity and goals have been hard to come by, and the manager wants a couple of forward players.
The Whites have plans to bring in an attacking midfielder and a winger, and the club are considering several options ahead of identifying their top targets for the January transfer window.
The Aston Villa midfielder has been linked with a return to Elland Road, with Leeds expected to prioritise players with Premier League experience when the window reopens in the winter.
Ross Barkley is a name Leeds United are considering
The Leeds Press understands that Leeds consider Barkley an option amongst several other players, with Daniel Farke keen to add a creative midfielder to his squad in January.
Barkley will turn 32 in December, so a loan move until the end of the season would be the most likely route should Leeds go in for him.
It’s believed Barkley is keen for more game time, and a successful loan switch to Elland Road could give him an outside chance of a place in the England World Cup squad.
Barkley briefly got back into national contention during a superb Premier League season at Luton just two seasons ago, but Gareth Southgate opted against selecting him for Euro 2024.
He played a bit-part role in the last three league wins for Villa as Unai Emery’s side roared back to form in the Premier League after a difficult start to the season.
Barkley makes financial and sporting sense
A teenage Barkley struggled in the Championship for Leeds as he looked under Neil Warnock during his loan spell, and was quickly recalled by Everton.
However, 12 years later, the Aston Villa star could be the perfect January addition for Farke’s side, who are crying out for a creative midfielder in the team.
It is hard to read too much into Barkley’s performances this season, as while he has looked sharp, he has not played the amount of football needed to make any assessments.
He was not more than a squad player last season as well, and had a couple of injuries. However, there is enough data to draw some conclusions.
Barkley will add attacking thrust to the Leeds midfield with his ability to carry the ball into the final third and directly into the opposition penalty box.
He can switch play quickly with his passes, and will add much-needed attacking instincts to a midfield who are strong and physical but lacks creativity.
A loan move will also make financial sense for Leeds, as they have major PSR concerns, and they may not be able to afford a transfer fee in the winter transfer window.
It remains to be seen whether Villa will be ready to loan out Barkley in January if he continues to look good this season.
Complete bollocks again as usual.