Aston Villa had a pretty interesting summer transfer window.
The Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and Financial Fair Play (FFP) meant that Unai Emery was forced to conclude some deals.
One of them included Douglas Luiz leaving Villa and joining Juventus, it was a body blow to the team because of how he helped the club reach the Champions League.
But with such a senior figure leaving, Aston Villa had to bring in replacements, with the now-loaned-out Enzo Barrenechea coming in from Turin, but then joining Valencia for the season.
Another player who arrived was Amadou Onana from Everton for a club-record fee, whilst Ross Barkley also joined from relegated Luton Town.
But it seems as though certain players already had their eyes on donning the Claret & Blue colours well before signing on the dotted paper.
Ross Barkley admits he wanted to re-join when facing Aston Villa for Luton last October
Villa beat Luton home and away last season, with Barkley only playing in the fixture at Villa Park in October.
The 30-year-old played the entire match and stated that’s when he thought about wanting to re-join the club.
Barkley admitted to Sky Sports that he wanted to make a return because of how Villa played.
“I played against Villa last season at Villa Park,” said Barkley. “The way that the team played, I left the game thinking ‘I would love to still be at the club playing in this team’.”
Barkley says Villa’s Champions League finish a ‘surprise’
The Steven Gerrard reign was a disaster at Villa and when Emery joined just before the 2022 Qatar World Cup, many felt he had a big job on his hands to get the club out of danger.
But, not only did he do that, he also guided the Midlands side to a European finish – Conference League football – and there was a buzz about the following campaign.
Given that Villa were playing in midweek for the first time in a long time, not many, if anyone, fancied them for a top-four finish, but they pulled it off and Barkley admits that it was a ‘surprise’ to him.
“From last season, from an outsider, I was playing for Luton, it was maybe a surprise that Villa finished so high in the table,” added Barkley.
“But the performances, (winning) 15 games at home. You know racking up the points. Massive home wins against Man City. Drawing 3-3 against Liverpool, so the performances were there.
“The club had done so well under Unai for two years, when through a little bit of a dip in the last few weeks, sometimes that does come and sometimes you do need that. We have remained positive.”
