Former Aston Villa loanee Ross Barkley was forced to stay at Chelsea past the summer transfer window deadline as he couldn't find a passage to regular football elsewhere.

Barkley spent the duration of the 2020/21 campaign at Villa while he remained on the books at Stamford Bridge..

He wasn't in Frank Lampard's plans when the Blues legend was the manager at Stamford Bridge, and current boss Thomas Tuchel has not been willing to give Barkley his fair share of minutes in the Premier League this season either.

The Sun report that Barkley is on Burnley’s radar for an emergency swoop in January.

He has only made one appearance for the Blues in the league this season, in a seven minute cameo against Southampton, and manager Tuchel even decided to take his number eight shirt before the campaign got under way.

It saw speculation rumble throughout the window that Barkley would head out before the summer transfer deadline, but the former Villa midfielder could instead get his move away in January.

Burnley are prepared to pay a chunk of his massive salary for half a season to help them out of the drop zone, adds The Sun.

And unless Chelsea are hit by an injury crisis, Barkley seems sure to be available.

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