Everton can’t keep Ross Barkley much longer
Much to the chagrin of Everton fans I fear that Ross Barkley won’t stay at the club much longer. He is playing so well that he’s sure to attract interest from one of the world’s superpower clubs sooner rather than later.
Relax Everton fans, this is not an article insulting your club. I’m a fan of Roberto Martinez and the way your side plays. I’m also a realist though. I know that Everton doesn’t have the financial resources to hold on to a potential superstar like Ross Barkley for very long.
It seems that the young English number 10 is finally fulfilling his vast potential. He has scored six goals and notched five assists on the campaign and has posted an electric 7.72 average Whoscored rating. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he’s been the best number 10 in the Premier League as of late. Not a bad start to the season for the 21-year-old English international.
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He’s been a joy to watch for Everton so far this year, but if you want to see him play for Roberto Martinez’s side you’d be well advised to do so soon. I’m not convinced that he will still be an Everton player past this year. In fact, I don’t think it’s impossible that they’ll be forced to sell him in January although I think that’s a real long shot.
There have been quite a few rumors about top-level Premier League clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea being interested in Barkley, but I don’t think that’s the route that Barkley will end up taking. Not least of all because Everton will be very hesitant to move Barkley to a competitor.
Barkley strikes me as more of a Real Madrid player than a Chelsea man. He seems more likely to take the Gareth Bale route than the path of Wayne Rooney. And make no mistake, Los Blancos will be very interested in Barkley if there is ever the slightest whisper that Everton can be tempted to sell.
Curiously I think the potential departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from Madrid might really impact Barkley’s status at Merseyside. The rumor mill has fully cranked up about CR7’s time coming to an end at Real Madrid which would put them in the market for a replacement in the attacking midfield. They do have some talent already in the squad who could slot into Ronaldo’s spot, but that’s not exactly the Real Madrid way to do things. They’ll want to reach out and make the splashiest signing possible.
Landing the hottest prospect in England would be a pretty big splash. His name doesn’t yet carry the cache of other world-class players, but I think that will change drastically in the near future. It’s not as if Premier League players struggle to garner attention and notoriety on the world stage.
Even if it’s not Real Madrid there are plenty of other bigger clubs that would be more than happy to take Barkley away from Everton. Someone like Barcelona or PSG would also be highly interested in securing the services of arguably England’s best young player. Think of it as payback for years of the Premier League robbing their leagues of domestic talent.
Ross Barkley is an outstanding talent and he’s having a season to remember for Roberto Martinez at Everton. While the romantic fan in me hopes that Barkley will stay at Everton, the realist knows his days are numbered. He’ll soon be plying his trade at one of the world’s super powers.