Tottenham are reportedly keeping an eye on Everton superstar Ross Barkley with the possibility of a potential move in the summer of 2017
The Telegraph have run an exclusive report stating Tottenham are showing interest in Everton superstar Ross Barkley. The England international is on the radar of the North Londoners, who are eyeing a summer move for the midfielder.
Ross Barkley took the Premier League by storm when he emerged as a teenage sensation for Everton. The player has amassed 156 appearances for Everton, with a more than decent return of 24 goals and 21 assists to show for his efforts.
The 23-year-old has already racked in a total of 22 appearances for the senior squad of the Three Lions at such a young age and is widely tipped to be a mainstay in England’s lineup for the foreseeable future. Barkley has started 13 of Everton’s 16 Premier League matches up until now, with another appearance as a substitute.
Barkley is set to enter the last 18 months of his contract at Everton come January, but given that Ronald Koeman is aiming to mount a challenge for European positions and quite possibly a top 4 finish, the Toffees are unlikely to entertain offers for the 23-year-old in January.
The talks of a contract extension has been put on hold while Barkley tries to impress new boss Ronald Koeman, who has been critical of the 23-year-old’s shortcomings this season. If there is no movement in the negotiation department by the end of the season, Barkley would have only 12 months remaining on his Everton deal.
And, Tottenham feel that could indicate Barkley’s availability and willingness to seal a transfer away from the Goodison Park and Pochettino is aiming to bring the player over to White Hart Lane.
The 23-year-old would join an already sumptuous core of young English players, and Pochettino believes he can get the best out of the attacking midfielder, as he has done with other youngsters during his earlier time at Southampton and now at Tottenham.
Barkley has often drawn comparisons to Wayne Rooney, which is down to the similarity in playing style as well as their progression through the Everton academy. Hence, Manchester United have often been linked with a move for Barkley, but the arrival of players like Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan means that the Red Devils are unlikely to move for the player in the near future.
Everton would still ask for a fee around the £25m mark in the summer, an amount Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is unlikely to be unwilling to spend in order to secure a transfer for the player.
If Barkley does end up at Tottenham, it would be interesting how Pochettino is able to fit both Alli and the Evertonian in the starting eleven, with both the players having an almost identical skill-set – Ross Barkley being a bit more physically well-built than Alli.
