Tottenham need to sign Ross Barkley more than ever

By Rucker Haringey | Jul 17, 2017

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 12: Ross Barkley of Everton celebrates scoring his sides first goal with Kevin Mirallas of Everton and Leighton Baines of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Watford at Goodison Park on May 12, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

Ross Barkley would be a major boost for Tottenham

Tottenham’s interest in signing Ross Barkley is nothing new. Spurs now have more reason to move quickly for the Everton star than ever before.

Reports from England claim that Daniel Levy and company are keen to add Barkley to their squad within the next week. The idea is that Mauricio Pochettino wants to sign the talented midfielder before he takes his squad on tour to the United States.

While I don’t think it’s very likely that negotiations will move that quickly, it is clear that Tottenham have more motivation to ink him than they have previously. In particular, the sale of Kyle Walker to Manchester City has put the club under pressure to demonstrate more ambition in the summer transfer window.

Personally, I wasn’t as opposed to the Walker sale as most Tottenham fans seemed to be. I would have preferred to see him shipped abroad, but £50 million for him is an excellent price. The key for me is seeing what the club are going to do with that money.

If Walker’s sale is the most impactful transfer of the summer for Spurs then it’s a sure sign the club has gone backwards. That’s why purchasing Barkley is now so important. Spending a substantial sum to bring in a young, English international would greatly alter the perception of the club’s summer. The fact that he’s a proven Premier League commodity is also an added bonus.

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The impetus to move quickly for Barkley is about more than perception though. Bringing him in soon would allow Pochettino the chance to fully immerse him in the club’s culture prior to the start of the 2017-18 campaign. Getting off to a good start will be crucial to Tottenham’s title aspirations next season.

Remember, Spurs will be without Erik Lamela to begin next season. No matter what you think about the former Roma star, he is a favourite of Pochettino’s. The club must have another attacker ready and raring to go when the season commences to cover for his indefinite injury absence.

There’s also the small matter that Dele Alli will miss the club’s first three Champions League matches next season. If Spurs want to improve on last year’s disappointing performance in the competition, they’ll need to replace Dele with genuine quality in the starting XI. Barkley is arguably the club’s top potential option.

Next: Kyle Walker left Spurs due to jealousy

Expect transfer negotiations between Tottenham and Everton for Ross Barkley’s transfer to drag on for at least a few more weeks. The good news for the Toffees is that Spurs are feeling increased pressure to get a deal done. Of course, Everton can also hear the clock ticking on Barkley’s current contract with the club. Both sides have a lot of motivation to get a deal done.

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