Aston Villa in advanced talks to sign £30k-p/w ace who Emery likes

Aston Villa are rapidly closing in on their first transfer deal of the summer, it has emerged, with the club in advanced talks with a “machine” over a potential move to Villa Park.

Emery and Villa keen to push on

Despite clinching Champions League football for the first time since the 1980s, Villa and Unai Emery are in no mood to rest on their laurels this summer, with the club keen to continue pushing on to the very top of English football in the years to come.

The Villa boss admitted as much after the Premier League final day thrashing by Crystal Palace, though added it would be hard for his side to reach the same levels of consistency as Arsenal and Manchester City.

“It is a dream. It is very difficult. When we were at the beginning of the season playing two matches against City and Arsenal, we won both matches. We were there.

“Those teams are amazing with consistency. I want to get better and I have my dreams and I believe in my dreams. Of course my objectives is to win the Premier League or the Champions League.”

Squad depth is an area where the club may need to improve though, with the tolls of playing in both the UEFA Conference League and the Premier League this season showing in the final stretch of the campaign.

Now, the level required will be even higher with the return of the Champions League, and the added games on offer courtesy of the new-look format, which will see the Villans play eight games in the first stage rather than six. As a result, they are already seeking reinforcements.

Villa closing in on Premier League midfielder

Now, it has been reported that Aston Villa are closing in on a deal to bring Ross Barkley back to the Midlands, after the ex-England midfielder was relegated with Luton Town.

Barkley, who has also been linked with Man Utd in 2024, shone for the Hatters despite their eventual fate, with the 30-year-old grabbing five goals and four assists in 32 outings.

He drew plenty of praise from former Chelsea teammate Cesc Fabregas too, with the Spaniard dubbing him a “machine” for his work rate and physicality.

“Physically, he’s a machine, physically, he’s one of the best, or the fittest players I played with, and he has adapted to this, but especially the personality he plays with, I think he’s the stand-out for this Luton side”, the ex-Arsenal and Barcelona man explained.

He only penned his current £30,000 per week deal with the Hatters last summer, and though there is no confirmed contract length it is believed to run into next season, with Rob Edwards himself claiming that “I think he’s longer than a year”, though he refused to be drawn on the specifics.

Now, Villa are trying to prise him away from Luton, with Fabrizio Romano revealing that Villa are in “advanced talks” and that Barkley is “keen on the move”, which would see him return to a club he spent the 2020/21 season on loan with.

Emery, meanwhile, “really likes” the 30-year-old and “believes he could be a smart signing” to help add further depth in midfield and allow the Villans to sustain a higher level across all of their games next season.

Available at a modest fee, he could well prove to be just that.