Everton have rejected a £25 million pounds bid for Ross Barkley from Chelsea as the midfielder looks to move away from his boyhood club.
The 23-year-old has turned down a new deal at Everton and informed manager Ronald Koeman towards the end of last season that he would like to look for a new challenge this summer.
Everton have set an asking price of £50 million pounds for Barkley but Koeman confirmed the Blues won’t be forced into a panic sale at a severely discounted price even though he expects Barkley to leave before the close of business on Thursday evening.
In the last year of his contract and with it winding down, the mercurial midfielder has the ability to sign a pre-contract with another on January 1st, giving him the chance to leave Everton on a free transfer.
Barkley is currently out injured with a hamstring injury that could keep him out for over three months if it requires further surgery and treatment.
Barkley could well stay
Whilst a long-term stay looks to be off the table, both Everton and Barkley could settle on a shorter term deal to keep him contracted at Goodison Park.
The midfielder had seemingly burnt his bridges with the Everton squad and management after asking to leave in May but could be welcomed back into the fold if he stays after the close of the window.
Koeman admitted that he would allow anyone into his squad that acted professionally and played for the team and not themselves.
Report and rumours have also arisen since that Barkley could sign an extended contract at Everton, possibly an extra year, so that his boyhood club still get a fee from his departure.
The interest that was reportedly around Barkley from Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur hasn’t blossomed like some at Everton expected and the 23-year-old may have to stay for a little longer yet.
Has he lost his squad place?
Since Koeman revealed Barkley was expected to leave Everton this summer, the Blues have signed three players who can play the same role as Barkley.
Davy Klaassen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney can all play behind the main striker and chip in with similar, if not better, goals and assists totals than Barkley.
If the Englishman is to stay at Everton in the short term, he’d have a tough road to winning back his place in the Everton squad.