Source:Thepeoplesperson
1 Despite Manchester United finishing their dismal Premier League season with a win on the final day, results elsewhere meant they still ended up finishing eighth.
Manager Erik ten Hag's decision to adopt a high-transition style coupled with a perennial injury crisis were seen as some of the biggest issues as the club recorded their worst finish in the competition.
The change in approach did not suit last season's go-to midfield pairing as both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen seem to have lost a yard of pace and they cannot keep up with the high-energy style.
The Dane was hardly used while the Brazilian struggled to cover the huge gaps left in the midfield as the opposition counter-attacked with ease throughout the campaign.
Midfield needs reinforcements New co-owners INEOS are looking to freshen things up and reduce the overall age of the squad and both the midfielders have been linked with exits.
With PSR concerns hanging over the club's head, the new-look behind-the-scenes team that has been assembled by Sir Jim Ratcliffe will need to get creative in order to plug gaping holes in the squad.
One interesting name that has been doing the rounds is that of Ross Barkley, who failed to avoid relegation with Luton Town despite a fine individual campaign.
The England international scored five times and registered six assists while playing both as the defensive midfielder and further forward.
His ability to dribble past under pressure was a major asset for the Hatters with the former Everton star in the top one percent among midfielders for successful take-ons (via fbref). He was called "unbelievable" by team-mate Andros Townsend.
United's interest in Barkley stemmed from the fact that INEOS had given him a chance back at OGC Nice last season and the player gained a lot of confidence from that stint which helped him secure a return to the English top-flight.
HITC Football revealed that Aston Villa have made the first move for the 30-year-old and despite interest from multiple Premier League clubs, they remain confident of landing their man.
"Aston Villa are confident they can quickly finalise a deal to sign Ross Barkley from relegated Luton Town despite interest from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Manchester United.
Huge fight for Barkley "Barkley is understood to have one year left on his Luton contract. The Hatters also retain a 12-month extension clause. However, due to a mechanism in the deal he signed when leaving OGC Nice in 2023, Barkley can now depart Kenilworth Road for a fee well below market value after Luton's relegation was confirmed on Sunday."
The Sun's Alan Nixon (on his Patreon) has further claimed that the player from Merseyside has spoken with Unai Emery's side but he still "waits on Man United", hoping to get the call from Sir Jim.
A low-cost deal for Barkley would not be the worst decision especially after the club suffered an enormous amount of injuries this season which depleted the squad's depth massively.
But the 20-time English league champions will need to act fast or else they could lose out to high-flying Villa who are keen to maintain their rise moving forward.
