Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Ross Barkley's Chelsea career might not be over.

£96,000-a-week Barkley, who's currently on loan at Aston Villa, has never been a regular at Stamford Bridge following his move from Everton, but hasn't yet been given the opportunity to work under new manager Thomas Tuchel after Frank Lampard loaned him out.

His spell at Villa Park started in excellent fashion after the midfielder, who marked his debut by netting in the thumping win over Liverpool before scoring a late winner at Leicester two weeks later.

But a hamstring problem over Christmas has threatened to overshadow Barkley's campaign - with the England man now currently out of Dean Smith's side having been on the bench for Aston Villa's previous eight Premier League matches.

Barkley looks likely to return to Stamford Bridge this summer, and Windass believes that a clean slate with Blues manager Tuchel could see him come into the German's plans next season.

He told Football FanCast:

"It's a new manager, he's not been with Tuchel. You get a pre-season down you. The Chelsea manager will want his own players in. Ross Barkley is a talented young boy and he might be Tuchel's cup of tea.

"I would be saying to myself - try and get into the team at Villa until the end of the season. Go back to Chelsea, get a good pre-season down me and prove to the manager that I am a good player and things can turn around very quickly."