Sense prevails as Everton move out of Ross Barkley chase
Everton have been heavily linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley this summer, but it seems the Toffees won’t be moving for him.
Ben Jacobs, the CBSSportsGolazo journalist told EFC Daily (20 July), that Barkley has been offered to both Everton and Aston Villa.
He added that the Blues are looking to get Barkley off the wage bill. Frank Lampard is a keen admirer and he sees Barkley as a player with a huge potential.
Barkley left Everton to join Chelsea, and the move didn’t go well among the Toffees fans. A potential to Goodison Park was reported, but it seems the Toffees are unlikely to move for him.
The Daily Mail reported on 29 July that Everton are considering making a move for Billy Gilmour but they are unlikely to bring back Barkley.
Journalist Richard Buxton, who covers Merseyside football mainly, wrote on Twitter (30 July) that the Toffees have no interest for Barkley at the moment.
It seems transfer sense has prevailed, and Everton have made a smart decision here.
Keeping aside the emotional aspect, Barkley has really struggled at Stamford Bridge in the past few seasons, and there is very little evidence to suggest that he can reignite his career.
He had a chance to make a strong impact at Aston Villa on loan, but after an early promise, the move turned to out to a disaster.
Frank Lampard is looking to rebuild the squad, and he needs players who can genuinely make an impact. Barkley appears to have lost that appetite to prove himself.
Finance is obviously an issue, and it’s understandble that Lampard wants to get more players on cheap deals, but surely there are better options available in the market that Barkley.
He would have been a transfer gamble, and gamble is something the Toffees must avoid at the moment.