Luton Town player punt earned them a swift £5m profit | OneFootball

Ross Barkley was a punt when he signed, but Villa snapped him up for £5m after a good season

Ross Barkley was a revelation in his one and only season with Luton Town in the Premier League, with the Hatters conducting an excellent piece of business bringing him in.

When you think of Barkley, many look to his Everton days when he was at his peak, and he was dubbed one of the most promising youngsters in the Premier League.

His move to Chelsea was solid, but he never quite lived up to that expectation, but what Luton Town fans saw of him last season proved he's still got it.

The now 30-year-old made the move to Luton on a free after a stint in France with Nice, and he regained the form he once had in the Premier League after something of a transfer punt by the newly-promoted Hatters.

He now resides with Aston Villa after a £5 million move.

The Hatters were thrilled with Barkley, who rolled back the years in the top flight last season.

Barkley's move did warrant questions, but he seemed to fit the Hatters to a tee.

His presence in the midfield made it difficult to play against Luton, his close-ball control and dribbling are what made him into a young star and, once again, he showed his abilities on the big stage, whilst also showing his defensive side in a Luton side that had to have everyone working against the ball.

Barkley notched five goals and four assists in Luton's fight for survival; it's worth noting they, unexpectedly, put up more resistance to the drop than Burnley or Sheffield United. The midfielder created 44 chances and completed two-thirds of the dribbles he attempted, as well as notching a number of successful duels.

Despite the Hatters' eventual relegation, Barkley was a shining light, and it was guaranteed to be difficult for Rob Edwards' side to retain him in the Championship this season.

It was a punt from the Hatters, but it turned out to be one of the best pieces of business last season, with his former club, Villa, making the £5m move for him in the summer.

A player too good for the Championship, but Luton fans will tell you how much of an honour it was to see him play and fight for their Premier League survival.

Barkley went "back in time" with the Hatters

Flourishing on the Premier League stage is what made Barkley the player he is, and to have the chance to do it last season definitely brought up memories for the midfielder.

His form was that good that many believed he warranted a return to the England squad, having previously played for the national side in 2020, earning 33 caps since his debut before injuries and poor form took a toll on his career.

His time at Kenilworth Road was the most league minutes he had in a season for seven years, as he described the move to BBC Sport in March 2024 as "going back in time".

"I feel like I'm in a good place again.

"I feel like I've gone back in time now. I've not really played [as] much in the past three or four years as I feel like I deserved."

Barkley asserted himself in a different role at Luton, playing much deeper due to past injuries, but he still incorporated his game excellently.

"Coming to Luton, my intentions were not playing this role. But because of certain injuries, I've filled in that role, and it's worked out so well for me. I knew I could play in that position, but sometimes all it takes is a manager to trust you in a certain role.

"When I was younger, I was more of a holding midfielder, making tackles and similar to how I'm playing now, but still taking some risks."

Luton will be thrilled with not only Barkley's brilliant season, but the profit they made on a supposed free punt. A cult-hero in a very short period, and someone Luton can take pride in helping back to the summit of English football and into the Champions League.