Aston Villa have been handed a boost in their bid to make Ross Barkley a permanent signing.
The Chelsea midfielder is currently on loan at Villa Park and enjoying a fine spell, racking up 14 appearances, scoring four and assisting one in what has been a fine start to the season for Aston Villa.
Dean Smith's men are currently ninth in the table and just four points behind Chelsea in sixth with two games in hand.
Barkley has been a regular in that impressive start for Villa, starting 11 times and it's no surprise the Midlands club could well make a move to keep him come the summer.
And if that is to be the case, they could find Chelsea are more than accommodating, according to a Eurosport report, which claims the Blues are not likely to want Barkley back now Frank Lampard has gone, making a permanent move 'more possible'.
The report claims Thomas Tuchel is less likely to put up a fight against selling Barkley and that the Chelsea hierarchy are already open to the idea of letting him leave.
Though, with the midfielder under contract until 2023 and showing good form, it is unlikely Villa will be afforded any kind of cut-price deal.
But in any case, any Villa approach is likely to be in the summer with Smith saying no conversations have been had just yet with all concentration on the season.
"There have never been any discussions,” Smith said recently. “We contacted Chelsea at the start of the season about taking him on loan and we are thankful they allowed it.
“He is playing football, playing with a smile on his face and enjoying it at the moment.”
Barkley joined Chelsea in 2018 for a fee of £18million from Everton and it's likely the Blues would make money on the midfielder should he be allowed to depart.
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