'Deal agreed' - Ex-Sheffield Wednesday man set to leave Owls and Sheffield United's rivals for Premier League club

Ross Barkley is on the cusp of leaving Championship club Luton Town having reportedly agreed a two-year deal with Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

The former Everton and Chelsea player joined the Hatters following their promotion to the top flight last year but looks poised to leave the club following their relegation. Luton will come up against Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday next season, with the Blades relegated from the Premier League alongside the Kenilworth Road side.

Barkley is known to Owls’ supporters, having enjoyed a loan spell at Hillsborough back in 2012 as he was coming through the ranks at Everton. The 30-year-old played 13 times for Wednesday as an 18-year-old, scoring four goals before leaving South Yorkshire. He then joined Leeds United for a one-month loan at the start of 2013.

He left Everton for Chelsea in 2018 and had a loan spell at Villa Park during that time before he left Chelsea and joined Ligue 1 side Nice in 2022. He returned to England with Luton last summer.

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Football Insider report a two-year deal with the option of a third season has been agreed and that Barkley will leave Luton on a free transfer having only signed a one-year deal with the option for a further year. However, the report further claims a clause allows him to leave for nothing in the event of relegation. Barkley enjoyed an impressive season back in the Premier League with five goals and four assists for the Hatters.

Luton are among the early favourites to challenge for promotion next term while Sheffield United will aim to rebuild after a difficult season in the Premier League. Sheffield Wednesday will harbour high hopes of enjoying a positive campaign after Danny Rohl committed his future to the club last week.

The German arrived with the Owls under serious threat of relegation despite the season only being a few months old. However, he turned matters around with four wins in their final six games clinching survival and a 20th-place finish.

Rohl’s impressive spell at Hillsborough naturally attracted interest from other clubs, with Championship rivals Sunderland widely reported to be eyeing a move for the German. Explaining his decision to stick with Wednesday, Rohl said last week: “I am delighted to extend my contract with Sheffield Wednesday. This is a fantastic club that has taken me to heart and I feel exactly the same way. It was never in my mind to be anywhere else but Hillsborough. I feel at home here, the fans have been incredible, they have shown myself and my staff nothing but kindness since the first day.

“I would like to thank the chairman for giving me this opportunity and now we are excited to look forward and can plan ahead together for the new season. The way we finished last season was amazing, so much hard work came to fruition but we do not stop here. We must continue to show the same effort levels and desire for the future, the chairman is ambitious, I am ambitious and our fantastic supporters are ambitious too.”