Coventry City's pursuit of Ross Barkley hits snag as 'terms not accepted'

Coventry City’s summer pursuit of Aston Villa’s Ross Barkley appears to have hit a snag as Unai Emery appears ready to “persuade” him to stay.

The 32-year-old midfielder is said to be keen on more game time after being limited to ten Premier League starts and 31 from the bench over the last two season at Villa Park. But Emery is a big admirer of the player who has been a valuable squad member.

Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard knows the former England international with 33 caps from his time managing Chelsea and has been linked with interest in the player all summer, not least when he turned up at City’s Spanish training camp in Marbella to work with his own personal trainer.

The Sun’s transfer specialist Alan Nixon today reports that: “Villa are now thinking of keeping midfielder Ross Barkley who has been free to leave.”

Posting on his Patreon platform via X, he added: “ Coventry and Fulham fancy Barkley and have been negotiating, but their terms have not been accepted. And Villa may step in and persuade him to return.”

Barkley is under contract for another season, having signed for Villa from Luton in July 2024.

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