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Fri 27 February 2026 7:00, UK
Coventry City, Sheffield United and Wrexham could all be in the mix to sign Ross Barkley as he prepares to leave Aston Villa at the end of his contract this summer.
Football Insider have revealed that several Championship clubs are lining up moves to sign Barkley ahead of next season.
The 32-year-old has featured just 12 times for Aston Villa this season amid injury issues, with numerous players ahead of him in Unai Emery’s midfield pecking order.
He returned to Villa Park ahead of last term after a spell at Luton Town, and made 29 appearances as they achieved Champions League qualification.
Barkley’s struggles so far this season have seen him touted to leave this summer at the end of his current deal, and Football Insider have looked at three clubs that he could join who are playing in the second tier right now.
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Coventry City
Coventry have been the Championship’s runaway leaders for the majority of this campaign, and are on course to return to the Premier League ahead of next term as it stands.
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They displayed their intent and ambition by loaning in Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka in the January window, and Barkley could be a realistic and shrewd capture regardless of the league they are in this summer.
Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard will know Barkley well, having previously managed him at Chelsea, while the former England star may also want to prioritise staying local to the Midlands at this stage of his career.
Sheffield United
Sources told Football Insider last month that Sheffield United were eyeing a move to sign Barkley, as Chris Wilder aimed to bolster his midfield options in the hope of pushing for promotion.
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He stayed at Villa as the Blades brought in Kalvin Phillips, but Wilder may well explore a move for the 32-year-old this summer regardless.
Phillips’ poor start to life at Bramall Lane points to United not trying to sign him permanently in the summer, with Barkley potentially seen as a viable, similarly experienced alternative.
They are certainly not short of funds, and will need to focus all their efforts on achieving promotion next season after such a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
Wrexham
When it comes to EFL clubs, none can claim to be more ambitious than Wrexham over the last four years.
The Hollywood-owned Championship side have climbed the leagues by signing big-name players and splashing the cash, so it does not seem beyond the realms of possibility that Barkley moves to the Racecourse Ground this summer.
Phil Parkinson has led Wrexham into a playoff race this season, but it remains to be seen whether they do make the top six and achieve an unprecedented fourth successive promotion to the top flight.
Even if they stay in the Championship, Barkley would surely be open to joining such an ambitious project as he reaches the latter stage of his career, and would undoubtedly be a regular starter in the middle of the park under Parkinson.
