Ross Barkley was released by Ligue 1 club Nice this summer after one season; the 29-year-old midfielder shone at Everton, earning an England call-up before moving to Chelsea in 2018: Luton face Brighton on Saturday in their first top-flight fixture since 1992
Wednesday 9 August 2023 17:20, UK
Luton Town have signed former Everton, Chelsea and England midfielder Ross Barkley on a free transfer.
Barkley was released by Nice this summer after one season at the Ligue 1 club following his departure from Chelsea by mutual consent.
The 29-year-old said: "Why Luton? Going from the Conference to the Premier League is a great story and for me personally to be back in the Premier League, it's great motivation.
"I'm still relatively young and over the last couple of years I've not played as much as I'd have liked.
"But I've reserved a lot of energy and looked after myself, so it's great to be here now as I've got a lot to show but I'm ready and feeling motivated."
Barkley - who played for England at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and also had a loan spell at Aston Villa - could make his debut for the Hatters in their opening Premier League match at Brighton on Saturday.
He began his career at Everton, making 150 Premier League appearances for the club and scoring 21 goals before moving to Chelsea in 2018 on a five-and-a-half-year deal worth £15m, but struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.
Luton manager Rob Edwards is confident Barkley, capped 33 times for England, can bring something different to his squad as they embark on a first top-flight campaign since 1992 after winning the Sky Bet Championship play-off final.
"Ross brings loads of experience at the top level, has international experience and brings an X-factor," Edwards said.
"He gives us something different, he has that ability to make something out of nothing and we need that in the Premier League. He's got all the tools required to make a difference for us.
"It's really exciting for the football club. We want the fans to be excited and they should be about Ross' arrival."
Luton Town's return to the top flight sees them take on Brighton at the Amex in their opening Saturday of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
The newly promoted side, who beat Coventry City on penalties in the Championship playoff final, travel to Chelsea on August 26, while November brings back-to-back encounters with Liverpool (h) and Manchester United (a) on November 4 and 11 respectively.
The Hatters host Arsenal and Manchester City at Kenilworth Road at the start of December, while that month then ends with the visit of Chelsea.
In February, Rob Edwards' side host Manchester United and face Liverpool at Anfield, before trips to the Emirates and the Etihad in April.
The Hatters end their campaign when Fulham come to Kenilworth Road on May 19.
Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
