Leeds United are keen to secure Ross Barkley on loan this winter, according to emerging reports...

What's the word?

TEAMtalk claim the Yorkshire giants have been put on high alert over the possibility that the 27-year-old midfielder will be allowed to leave Chelsea in January, with Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Everton also interested.

Barkley was subject to bids during the summer but no side managed to secure a move for him and it seems unlikely that he will earn an extension to his contract at Stamford Bridge as he enters the final 18 months of his current deal.

The £15.3m-rated playmaker is thought to want a place back in Gareth Southgate's England squad for the World Cup next year and he may struggle to put himself in contention if he remains in west London due to a lack of game time.

All three clubs would like him on a temporary basis.

Orta disaster

Having once cost the Blues around £15m, the Englishman's career has been on a downward spiral for several seasons and it seems surprising that Marcelo Bielsa and co would be interested in him.

Also earning wages in the region of £110k-per-week, he would certainly be an expensive gamble for director of football Victor Orta to make.

It seems unlikely that Barkley would be able to aid Leeds' fortunes in attack if he struggled to make an impact on loan to Aston Villa last season, a team that are perhaps somewhat comparable to the Whites.

As per Transfermarkt, the Chelsea flop delivered only one goal and three assists, with three of those four goal contributions coming before mid-November, meaning he went 18 games with just one goal to his name.

The Athletic's Villa reporter Gregg Evans launched a scathing verdict during his struggles on the pitch last season, he told the '1874' podcast:

"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. Whether that’s impacting on John McGinn, I don’t know."

Not only has Barkley been some way off his previous best for several seasons but he has also had to contend with numerous injury troubles, too.

All in all, it doesn't seem like a risk worth taking, so if Orta and the Leeds hierarchy go ahead with their plans to try and secure him, then he'll likely be making a massive howler at Elland Road.

United must steer clear of the Chelsea lightweight this January.

AND in other news, Beren Cross drops worrying Junior Firpo injury claim...