Leeds United Championship rivals dealt early promotion blow as £5m deal 'agreed' for ex-Sheffield Wednesday man

Leeds United Championship rivals Luton Town have already seen their hopes of an immediate promotion back to the Premier League dented, it seems. The Hatters spent just one season in the top flight as they struggled for traction before eventually finishing 18th, succumbing to relegation on the final day of the campaign.

Rob Edwards' side will be joined in the Championship by Burnley and Sheffield United, who also failed to do enough on their return to English football’s top table. Luton will have the benefit of parachute payments this season, but in order to stand the best chance of competing at the top end of the Championship, the club will be keen to keep as much of their squad intact this summer.

However, according to Talksport, the club have already been dealt a blow in that regard with Champions League-bound Aston Villa agreeing a deal to sign Ross Barkley. The former England international joined Luton on a free transfer last summer after struggling to find a club following his exit from Ligue 1 outfit Nice.

Barkley succeeded in repairing his reputation in the game, though, with his form in Luton orange being key to the club's hopes of survival for much of the campaign. Ultimately, the 30-year-old, who has 33 international caps to his name, managed to bag five goals in 32 Premier League outings for the club, underlining his talent and showcasing how much he has left to give.

Villa have moved quickly to snap up the midfielder then, with a £5 million deal, reportedly set to be completed when the summer transfer window opens. The move will see Barkley return to Villa Park, having spent the 2020-21 season on loan there, and following the club's success under Unai Emery, he'll be given the chance to play Champions League football once more. He started his career with Everton and had short loan spells with Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds before becoming a regular for the Goodison Park club. He ended his time on Merseyside by joining Chelsea.

His departure will leave Luton needing to dip into the market to bring in another midfielder to replace the Liverpudlian and they'll be keen to ensure his exit doesn't become the first of many. Alfie Doughty and Teden Mengi have both been linked with moves back to the Premier League following their impressive showings last time around, meanwhile Gabriel Osho is yet to pen a new deal with talks ongoing.

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The Hatters have already made the decision to release a handful of this season's fringe players, too, with Luke Berry, Dan Potts and Fred Onyedinma among those leaving the club following the end of their current deals. As Leeds fans know all too well, the summer after relegation can often be a turbulent time and Luton may already have a battle on their hands. The Kenilworth Road outfit are currently third in the odds list for promotion.