Marsch now facing his first major Leeds United mistake, Elland Road will be fuming - opinion

Leeds United have been touted with a move for Chelsea outcast Ross Barkley this summer…

90min have suggested that Jesse Marsch’s side, along with fellow Premier League outfits Everton and Newcastle are possible landing spots for the former England man in the upcoming transfer window.

His contract at Stamford Bridge comes to an end in the summer of 2023, and it’s been claimed that a cut-price sale is a “dead-cert”.

The £100k-a-week ace was on loan at Villa Park last year, and endured a rather nightmare spell in the Midlands, managing just three goals and the solitary assist in the Premier League.

It was no surprise then that he came in for some harsh criticism from those who watched him week-in and week-out, with The Athletic’s Villa correspondent, Gregg Evans, saying: “He doesn’t do enough for me now. I’ve seen enough of Ross Barkley now to realise that he’s becoming a bit of a liability for Villa. He’s not helping out enough as he should, really.”

This campaign has seen him completely fall out of the reckoning back at Chelsea, having initially seemed like he was at least a rotational part of Thomas Tuchel’s side.

But after playing 25 minutes against former club Everton back in mid-December, Barkley has not taken to the field at all for the Blues, and it’s been a real indication of how he’s slipped down the pecking order that there have been occasions when he hasn’t even made the match-day squad for them.

At 28, Barkley simply hasn’t shown enough in recent seasons to indicate that he would be someone Marsch can really count on in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, and his troublesome injury record certainly doesn’t make him more of an appealing signing either.

It’s a move that seems like a real mistake on the