With just one Premier League fixture and an FA Cup final left for Arsenal this season, the Gunners are well underway in being the forefront of the transfer window. Outgoing rumours certainly take top spot over incoming players, especially with Alexis and Ozil being on the brink of possible moves away. But Arsenal also have their fair share of transfer rumours surrounding potential transfer targets for the summer, one of which being Everton’s Ross Barkley.
Ross Barkley has been a consistent member of Everton’s lineup for the last few seasons, having broken into the Toffee’s midfield as a teen. The midfielder has since gone on to be an England international and has had another fairly influential campaign for his side this season.
Everton face Arsenal in their final Premier League match of the season and apparently the Gunners have been keeping tabs on the 23 year old all throughout the campaign, with a view of bringing him to the Emirates this summer.
Arsenal’s keen interest was spurred on even more a few weeks earlier, with rumours suggesting that Barkley was looking for the exit door this summer. The Englishman was given until the end of the season to sign a new deal with the Toffees and it seems that the Everton boss has now confirmed that there will not be a signature on the dotted line.
When boss Ronald Koeman was asked about if he was confident the 23 year old would stay at Everton, he responded: ‘No. I spoke to the player, the board spoke to his agent. I don’t know if he won’t give an answer. I don’t know.’
Any potential deal is likely to be around the £50 million valuation Everton have placed on the player, however even with the state of finances in football these days, I still think that’s way too much for Barkley. In my opinion Arsenal simply have too many midfielders fighting for a starting eleven spot already and so the introduction of Barkley in an already jam-packed midfield isn’t going to make matters easier for whoever is in charge of Arsenal next season.
Furthermore in 38 games this season, Barkley has attained 6 goals and 8 assists, a feat that I think isn’t that impressive and the stats show he certainly isn’t worth the reported £50 million. Albeit he may play in a team that isn’t exactly destined for glory, but with the powerhouse striker Romelu Lukaku playing in front of him, you’d expect him to be a little more influential.
Personally I just don’t think Barkley, especially a £50 million rated Barkley, or even a midfielder for that matter, should be a priority for Arsenal. We have far bigger problems at the club that need sorting first and so although I would welcome and value the Englishman’s position in the team if he was to join, I think Arsenal would be once again making the wrong move in the transfer market.
By AH