Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have made a bid for out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.
According to Football Insider, Scottish Premiership giants Celtic have made an opening bid for Chelsea star Ross Barkley in the 2022 summer transfer window.
The English midfielder was among the best young Premier League prospects when he came through the ranks at Everton. The 28-year-old moved to Chelsea in 2018 but has failed to establish himself as a regular in the club’s first XI. Barkley has made 100 appearances for the Blues, scoring 12 goals and making 11 assists across all competitions and is out of favour at Stamford Bridge.
Ange Postecoglou returned Celtic to the summit of Scottish football last season and appears far from done in the summer transfer window. He has set his sights on Barkley now and is keen to sign the 28-year-old on a season-long loan.
The Scottish giants are in no position to sign the Englishman permanently. They will struggle to cover his £120,000-a-week wages, and it is debatable if the player will take a pay cut to move to Scotland. Still in the prime of his career, Barkley could do a job for several sides in the English top flight.
The 28-year-old has just one year to go on his current deal at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea, for their part, are ready to sell and will do well to rid themselves of the Englishman on a permanent deal. Sending him on loan for the season without an obligation to buy more or less will see them lose Barkley for free next summer.
With new owners at the helm, Chelsea are undergoing a squad overhaul of sorts. Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku (on loan), Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger have all left this summer. More could follow with the futures of players such as Marcos Alonso and Hakim Ziyech still uncertain.
Despite several changes in personnel, Barkley does not appear to have a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s plans. He is better off seeking regular playtime elsewhere rather than settling for a diminished role on the bench.
While Celtic could be seen as a step-down, they will hand the player an opportunity to rekindle his career. Barkley could thrive in the Scottish top flight and even rebuild a career that has in the past few years gone nowhere.
