He says: “I feel like now my standards have maintained consistent levels this season. I’m hoping that I do get a call-up, whether that’s in the summer or next season.
“It’s a goal of mine to get back in the squad. In the position I’m playing now, I feel confident that I can bring something to the squad.
“The way I play now is a lot different from the way I played before in a more attacking role. So I’m confident, and hopefully a call-up does come.”
Barkley is now 30 and while many players are beginning to think about what might lie beyond professional football those thoughts are very much on hold, even 13 years after making his Premier League debut.
“I feel like for the next three years maybe I’ll still be in my prime years,” he insists. “I’m enjoying all the moments because I know over the last few years there’s been ups and downs, frustrations and great moments.
“And now I feel ready to be at my best, consistent, in a great place in my head as well. I haven’t had a lot of mileage over the last few years in my legs, so I feel fresh. I know it’s the last games of the season coming up – but I feel like it’s the start of the season.”
As the club heads into the home straight of the Premier League season, a second chance has presented itself – much as it has for Barkley at Kenilworth Road.
The late victory against Bournemouth last weekend thanks to Carlton Morris, and the emotional scenes of celebration which followed, gave a real sense of how big the opportunity to keep the club in the top flight feels.
“The result was key,” says Barkley. “We needed the win. Ten games without a win is difficult to take. We had a players’ meeting, explaining how key this game was and how we are all together.
“It’s a great group, we all bought into the manager’s approach, but as players we knew we needed to win the game.
“Everyone spoke in the meeting and it turned out as we planned. It was a massive relief in the changing room – you saw the images of Carlton, and the manager was over the moon.
“It gave us confidence and belief and the players have been in better spirits this week.”
The next challenge, of Man City this weekend, may seem a daunting one. But having been on the footballing journey that Barkley has over the last 13 years, he is relishing the chance to take on the Premier League champions and in particular, their own midfield talisman Rodri.
“I believe I can compete with the top players at Man City and Arsenal,” he says. “I feel like I’m confident enough to know what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are.
“I feel like I can exploit certain things but when we play Man City, they will have most of the possession so it’s about what you do out of possession. We need to be in the right positions and stick together going forward. Hopefully, I can make some things happen.”
Barkley has learnt, maybe the hard way, not to look too far ahead. Avoiding relegation is his only focus. The midfielder won’t comment on what might happen beyond this season, though his performances have seen him linked with a host of clubs.
Some reports have suggested a reunion with Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Jim Ratcliffe at Manchester United, the men who brought him to Nice in the first place.
Barkley won’t entertain the rumours though he does admit, as our interview draws to a close, to a burning ambition to return to the very top.
“I want to play in the Premier League,” he asserts. “I want to play in Europe again but I’m not really focused on that now.
“I want to help the club stay in the league. I love the club. It’s helped me so much and I owe them a lot. So I’m focused on that and thinking about nothing other than helping them do that.”
Barkely’s footballing story is already a fascinating one. One full of, in his own words, ups and downs.
But having been rescued by Luton – and still desperate to rescue them too – you get the sense there may still be plenty of intriguing plot lines to come.
