Everton midfielder Ross Barkley almost joined Chelsea in the summer and is now also wanted by one of their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur as the race for his signature heats up. According to latest reports, the Spurs are ready to beat the Blues in pursuit of the 24-year-old’s services when the transfer window commences next month. The Toffees’ boss Sam Allardyce is preparing for life without the midfielder and has yet to use his services this season following his severe hamstring injury concerns. However, the English international is nearing a return and is back to being fit again in time for the two London clubs to battle it out for his signature.
Barkley almost joined Chelsea on deadline day of the summer transfer window for a deal worth to be in the region of £25m only to pull out at the last minute. It is understood that he was alerted to Tottenham’s interest and decided to consider his options before committing his future to a club.
The Blues boss Antonio Conte is still keen to bolster his midfield options by bringing him to Stamford Bridge in January but faces stiff competition from Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham who are confident about their chances of sealing a deal with the Everton star. The money generated from his sale might help Everton boss Big Sam in his pursuit of Sevilla’s Steven N’Zonzi and Arsenal striker Theo Walcott.
Chelsea are currently sitting pretty in second place in the Premier League standings to end the year and might be a sure bet in the race to secure Champions League football for next season. Antonio Conte’s men have quietly gone about their business in the league which has seen them climb over Manchester United but they are still miles away from Manchester City who are leading the league by 13 points, with a game in hand. Any possible move for Barkley would see him fight for a place in Conte’s starting eleven with the likes of Tiémoué Bakayoko, N’Golo Kanté, Cesc Fabregas and Danny Drinkwater. So it might be wise for him to stay away from Stamford Bridge if he wants to play regular first-team football. However, the possibility of plying his trade in the Champions League might be enough to convince him to join the Blues.
Tottenham, on the other hand, are still fighting for a place in the top 4 and has enjoyed a rollercoaster of a season so far. Barkley might be used to replace Dembele in the starting eleven which might see him get regular game-time in his quest to return to full fitness. However, they might miss out on Champions League football which will be a blow in their hopes of retaining their star striker Harry Kane with top European clubs expected to line up for his signature in the summer.
It remains to be seen which London club wins the race for Barkley’s signature.
