Ross Barkley's future at Aston Villa beyond this season is in doubt.

Coaching staff consider him a "luxury" player and the Villans are hesitant to meet his £35m price tag, Football Insider reports. 

With first-team opportunities hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, Barkley made the switch to Villa Park in September 2020 on a season-long loan to help reinvigorate his career.

However, Dean Smith is believed to be in "quandary", as Barkley does not have a recognised position in the side, while some at Villa Park consider the Englishman to be a "luxury" player. 

So far this season, Barkley has started 14 of Aston Villa's 24 Premier League games but was recently dropped for the Villans' victory over Leeds United. 

And Football Insider's Villa source has indicated the Birmingham club are hesitant to meet Chelsea's £35m asking price. 

The source further added that Barkley would need to provide a consistent run of "special" performances if he wishes to secure a permanent move to the Villans. 

GIVEMESPORT's Tom Kelly says... 

It's important to remember that prior to his hamstring injury in late November, Barkley had an impressive start to life at Villa Park. 

For example, his display against Liverpool was particularly eye catching, as he provided the platform for the likes of Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins to flourish around him. 

However, Barkley has ultimately struggled to recapture that level form prior to his injury, and his display against Leicester certainly highlighted this. 

In his most recent outing, Barkley failed to record a single shot, key pass or successful dribble, according to WhoScored. 

At his pinnacle, Barkley is surely worth the £35m price tag. But the real question is how often will we Barkley play at his full potential.

Considering how much Chelsea are asking for Barkley's services, it may be wise for Aston Villa to invest elsewhere and on individuals who can provide more consistent performances.