Premier League heavyweights Chelsea are reportedly keen on getting rid of Ross Barkley and have offered him to Aston Villa and Everton.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Ross Barkley is surplus to requirements at Chelsea this summer, with Thomas Tuchel ready to sanction his departure from Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa and Everton are among the clubs that have the chance to secure the services of the out-of-favour midfielder.
Ross Barkley was once among England’s most promising young playmakers, as he went from strength to strength during his early years in the Everton first-team squad. But the 28-year-old has seen his stock plummet since joining Chelsea in January 2018, and he is currently at rock bottom of the pecking order for midfielders at Stamford Bridge.
The English midfielder has turned out 99 times for Chelsea thus far, chipping in with 12 goals and 11 assists. A loan move to Aston Villa in the 2019/20 season did not work out either, and Thomas Tuchel has no plans for Barkley in the upcoming campaign. The Blues are thus offering the player to several Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa and Everton.
Barkley does not have a natural position in Steven Gerrard’s preferred system at Aston Villa. But the out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder is capable of playing as a no. 8, meaning he could be amid uncertainties surrounding the long-term future of John McGinn and Morgan Sanson.
Barkley could thus be a viable target for Aston Villa, but it is unclear if the Midlands outfit would want to bring the Chelsea outcast back to Villa Park this summer. On the other hand, Everton can do with a player of Barkley’s qualities despite the sharp decline in his performance levels in the last four-and-a-half years.
The Toffees are in the market for a central midfielder, with Chelsea prospect Billy Gilmour on their radar. Following the departures of Fabian Delph and Gylfi Sigurdsson, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard wants to bolster his squad’s midfield department. And Barkley might be an option worth considering for the Everton manager, who has worked with him previously at Stamford Bridge.
The report does not mention whether Chelsea will be open to loaning Barkley out this summer if they cannot sell him permanently. For now, the west Londoners remain desperate to get rid of the 28-year-old after offering him to Aston Villa and Everton.