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Ross Barkley: Everton reject £25m bid from Chelsea for midfielder

By Phil McNultyChief football writer

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments302

Ross Barkley
Ross Barkley scored five goals in 36 Premier League games last season

Everton have rejected a £25m offer from Chelsea for Ross Barkley, but the England midfielder could still leave the club before Thursday's deadline.

Chelsea's offer was below Everton's original £50m price tag - but it is likely this will be reduced as Barkley has one year left on his contract.

The 23-year-old has turned down a new deal at his boyhood club.

His situation is further complicated by a serious hamstring injury which could keep him out for three months.

The academy graduate has played 150 times for Everton in the Premier League, scoring 21 times since making his debut six years ago.

In July manager Ronald Koeman said the club "100%" expected Barkley to leave Goodison Park.

Analysis - who will make the next move?

Koeman never appeared completely satisfied with Barkley's contributions last season, including removing him at half-time in the early-season win at Sunderland.

It seems his mixed relationship with Koeman, coupled with a desire to play Champions League football, has left Barkley wishing to leave the club he supported as a boy.

Chelsea's move for Barkley may just be the opening gambit in a game that will continue right up until the transfer deadline on 31 August.

Chelsea are likely to come back to the negotiating table but now the next move may well come from Spurs as they weigh up one of their trademark late moves in the transfer market.

There will be sadness among many at Everton if he leaves but he is also regarded as a player with vast unfulfilled potential as he reaches a pivotal point in his career.

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302 comments

  • Comment posted by dontblamemeblamemyparents, at 08:24 30 Aug 2017

    Why are we (Chelsea) trying to sign players that aren't even first choice at their club!!?!!!

  • Comment posted by Humph, at 12:03 30 Aug 2017

    I have just informed my boss at Waitrose that I don't feel in the right frame of mind to drive my delivery van this week, my head having been turned by the chance of earning 32p an hour more at Tesco.

  • Comment posted by Big Bub, at 08:29 30 Aug 2017

    Can't help but feel Sigurdsson is an upgrade from Barkley. Yes Sigurdsson is 4 years older but they've paid £40m for him yet value Barkley at £50m, doesn't seem right to me. I'm sure Barkley will do well when he does move on but I'd take Sigurdsson over Barkley any day

  • Comment posted by JJ10, at 08:28 30 Aug 2017

    He's not a bad player. A bit like Ox in that he just isn't consistent enough. Barkley plays more games in one position though than Ox and given the amount of game time Barkley has had, I'm not quite sure he's Chelsea standards.

    Seems to me Chelsea just trying to meet the English quota. Neither player improves the starting eleven.

  • Comment posted by thepadlock, at 09:06 30 Aug 2017

    Would be wiser if Chelsea to spend that money on Gnarls Barkley.

  • Comment posted by themorgatron, at 08:28 30 Aug 2017

    I can see his career going the same way as Joe Cole.

  • Comment posted by User0766887094, at 08:39 30 Aug 2017

    Surprised Chelsea haven't bid for Jack Wilshere yet.

  • Comment posted by Patrick OConnor, at 08:26 30 Aug 2017

    Chelsea already have a 'bigger, better, faster' version of Ross Barkley in Loftus-Cheek, why they are even interested in Barkley when Koeman despairs of his poor decision making on a regular basis I don't know.

  • Comment posted by G-MAN, at 08:34 30 Aug 2017

    Chelsea's all-out pursuit for English players to be benchwarmers is staggering.

  • Comment posted by User0399896188, at 08:56 30 Aug 2017

    Chelsea just trying to put the price up for Tottenham.

  • Comment posted by john, at 08:42 30 Aug 2017

    Great players like Rooney Owen Gerrard Fowler Beckham Scholes were doing the business way before they were 20. Barkley is 23 and we all are all still waiting.

  • Comment posted by gooner7, at 10:54 30 Aug 2017

    Get yourself a Barkleycard. Hardly any interest ,payments are cheap and fits in any players pocket.

  • Comment posted by Pavster, at 09:22 30 Aug 2017

    This and the drinkwater deals are like Man City when they bought Delph who has never been seen again. Same will happen to these guys.

  • Comment posted by Harrison Realls, at 08:25 30 Aug 2017

    And Chelsea say we (Liverpool) make stupid transfers?...

  • Comment posted by Huggie, at 08:27 30 Aug 2017

    Should've taken the offer. 25m for Barkley is huge sum for a wastedrink player

  • Comment posted by G-MAN, at 08:59 30 Aug 2017

    Yes, it's way too early to extrapolate too much but with...

    The Ox and Barkley on course for a season as super sub, Rooney retired from international football, Stones shunted down the pecking order, Rashford still not guaranteed a start before Ibra returns and changes the formation, Rose and Shaw still not fit, and Hart letting goals in for fun....

    ... the 2018 World Cup should be a blast

  • Comment posted by Andrew, at 08:40 30 Aug 2017

    Chelsea would have been better off keeping Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek and integrating them into the first team squad on a regular basis.

  • Comment posted by reason1, at 09:26 30 Aug 2017

    Barkley should gather up the comments on this HYS , put them in front of his agent and sue him for all his ill-gotten gains! Then apologise to football fans and get on with his career.

  • Comment posted by TheGreatMc, at 09:14 30 Aug 2017

    That's way too much for an average player... Everton should cash-in..!

  • Comment posted by Ohcomeonnow, at 10:01 30 Aug 2017

    How is it that CFC sell Chalobah - who is in the England squad - for 'peanuts' then want to spend £30/40m on Barkley or O-C - who aren't selected?

    Then they sell Matic, proven at all levels, to buy Drinkwater, a journeyman player, for the same kind of money you just sold Matic?

    Madness, total madness.

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