Ross Barkley contract decision now a no-brainer after major Aston Villa development

Ross Barkley is facing an uncertain future in Unai Emery’s squad as time ticks down on his contract at Aston Villa.

After Arsenal failed to beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, the Villans missed their chance to close the gap on the league leaders in the Premier League table, showcasing the squad’s weaknesses.

While still level on points with Man City, Emery is clearly keen to strengthen the team before the transfer window closes, with Villa hopeful of a deal for Besiktas forward Tammy Abraham.

The striker position is a clear target for the former Gunners boss, with Crystal Palace‘s Jean-Philippe Mateta also appearing on his radar, but there are other positions that should be addressed first.

Unai Emery is battling with serious injuries at Villa Park

Amadou Onana is seemingly struggling to stay fit for multiple games at a time, and that is a huge concern now that it has been confirmed that Boubacar Kamara will be missing until the end of the season.

The Frenchman managed just nine minutes against Tottenham in the FA Cup before being replaced, and it is not easy to fill the void he leaves, even with Youri Tielemans back to his best.

Lamare Bogarde has worked his way into the starting lineup in recent weeks, but with so much attacking talent ahead of the midfield, he cannot be expected to hold down the fort himself.

Much like Onana and Kamara, Barkley has been sidelined since November with a knee injury. Still, there is no doubt about the 32-year-old’s experience in the Premier League.

Aston Villa simply must extend Ross Barkley’s contract

Football Insider understands that Villa are considering extending Barkley’s contract, being able to trigger a one-year clause in his current deal, and that could be a key decision this month.

Rather than search the market for a new signing, either this month or in the summer, Emery has a ready-made midfield option recovering from an injury, who should be able to drop into a deeper role.

Despite being unavailable for the past couple of months, the former Everton and Chelsea man has more to give, at just 32 years of age, and he would be a much cheaper option than the alternative.

Emery continues to bring young, exciting talents into the squad, making the choice to extend Barkley’s deal all the more simple for the Villans.

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