Everton: Ross Barkley doesn’t deserve move to leading Premier League club yet
Ross Barkley is being linked with a big transfer away from Everton in the summer. Has the Englishman done enough to earn a big-money transfer away from Goodison Park?
Ross Barkley is having a good season at Everton. Before now, it’s been spurts of good form, but never really continuous. Although, this season is not yet finished, so Barkley’s consistency will still be better rated come the summer.
In the summer, Barkley will only have a year remaining on his Everton contract. The club want to sign Barkley to a new long-term deal, but Ronald Koeman has admitted that Barkley could yet leave the club instead, as reported by the Mirror.
The likes of Tottenham have been linked with Barkley, and after his recent form, it’s easy to see why. In fact, it’s always been easy to see why Barkley could end up playing at a higher level. The talent has always been obvious. It’s the form that has fluctuated wildly.
Plus, Barkley has never really nailed down a position. He’s been moved all across the midfield and attack, with his best position never really being found. He never had the defensive skills or work rate to play in central midfield, where Roberto Martinez tried to play him.
Whilst playing out wide often saw Barkley drift in and out of games too much. The number 10 role seemed the best fit, although Barkley is not always the type of player to create for his teammates. Often, he does his own thing and can be overly greedy.
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So finding a position has been troublesome, and finding form equally so. This year, Barkley has found both. Now playing in a front three alongside Romelu Lukaku and Ademola Lookman, Barkley has shined.
But given how long this form has taken to come to fruition, clubs like Tottenham would be wise to wait yet. Let Barkley repeat this form again next season. Prove this isn’t just a blip of decent form. Any move for Barkley is going to cost big money, both in transfer fee and wages anyway.
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So you need to make sure you’re getting value for that money. Barkley’s history of inconsistency means seeing consistency should be the number one thing any potential suitor should want to see.
Barkley is potentially starting to mature in his career now. That could be why the consistency is starting come. Still, it is only one season where Barkley is, seemingly, settling into a rhythm. And it’s not even been the entire season Barkley has performed for, either.
Earlier in the campaign it was the same old Barkley. That Barkley might be just around the corner again. The 23-year-old’s contract situation is what is rushing matters at this point. Not his form. Heck, his form might even purely be down to his contract winding down.
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What happens when he has a five-year deal signed? Back to the Barkley of old? Tottenham would be wise to wait to find out rather than pay to find out. Let Everton pay up on a new contract for their young star. Sit back and watch.
Barkley has had a good season so far. But it should take more than one year to prove he’s finally ready for that big-money move to a Champions League club.