Aston Villa have been offered the chance to re-sign one of their former loan stars.

What’s the word?

According to The Daily Mail, Premier League giants Chelsea are once again looking to offload transfer disappointment Ross Barkley this summer.

Whilst his ex-club Everton have also been noted as an interested party, according to the Mail's latest report, Aston Villa are now the only club that remain interested in his services.

With just 12 months left on his £100k-per-week deal, Chelsea are looking at their final chance to recoup some of the £15m fee they initially forked out for Barkley.

"Special talent"

Since exiting Everton, the English midfielder has struggled to recapture any of the form that saw him linked with many of England’s biggest clubs.

Steven Gerrard will be wary of spending unnecessary money after what has already been a busy summer transfer window for the Villains, but perhaps in landing the midfielder on a cut-price deal and giving him a run in the side next season, he could repay the faith shown.

Roberto Martinez was full of praise for the midfielder, having labelled him a “special talent” back when he was his manager at Goodison Park.

A player never loses their quality, and at the age of 28, he should be reaching his peak years. He still has plenty to offer someone who will take a punt on this outcast.

His loan stint at Villa started so brightly that it seemed like he was recapturing the form that earned him such praise, as he scored in his first two league games.

Unfortunately, a hamstring injury then saw him miss seven fixtures, and that form was lost.

Since then, the Villa team has only improved. The addition of Phillippe Coutinho adds another creative dynamic, and perhaps Barkley could be the final piece of the puzzle for Gerrard’s side who are crying out for creativity from central midfield.

Ashley Preece even recently suggested that Gerrard’s Villa side could push towards the top half of the Premier League table next season, but also stated his belief that the club are “two signings away from having what would be classed as a near-perfect squad - a midfielder and possibly a striker.”

Given little chance last season at Chelsea, but still scoring the winner in a 2-1 win over Watford on the final day of the season, he has shown he still has the quality to boost a squad with less quality.

Perhaps under the tutelage of one of England’s greatest ever midfielders, Barkley can finally reach his potential and propel Villa up the table.

AND in other news: Lange closing in on deal for “outstanding” talent, it'd be Villa's most important yet