Arsenal have been linked with a move to sign Ross Barkley from Everton this summer, but would he get in our side?
The midfielder is thoroughly expected to be moving clubs in the coming window, having refused to sign a new contract with the Blues, with just one year left to run on his current deal. His manager Ronald Koeman has already told him to sign a new deal or leave, and he appears to be going with the latter.
Paul Merson is of the belief that he will be leaving Merseyside this summer, but he is not so sure he would get regular football at any of the bigger English sides.
“I think he will go,” Merson said.
“I don’t think he thinks the manager has as much faith in him as he probably hoped.
“If the manager loved him that much he would be all over him, saying ‘please sign this and that’. I just don’t think he gets given that confidence and belief off the manager.
“For me I think he will be on his way. He’s got to be careful where he goes. I don’t know where he’s going to play when he does go.
“I’m a big fan of his and have a lot of time for him. But if he goes to Tottenham he won’t play in that team. If he goes to Arsenal he probably won’t go in that team.
“If he goes to Man United, I don’t know if he will go Man United, will he?
“I thought they were going to go for someone like (Antoine) Griezmann. If they go and sign Barkley where would (Paul) Pogba play? Where would (Henrikh) Mkhitaryan play?”
Our side currently have Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka holding down our two central midfield roles, and Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez firmly set in our two attacking midfield roles, as well as having a number of others also capable of starring in those central roles, including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mohamed Elneny, Francis Coquelin, Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott.
There is of course huge doubts over the futures of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, with both having failed to agree extensions to their own contracts which also expire next summer, but should the pair stay, it seems hard to figure out exactly where Barkley would fit into our first-team plans.
Would Barkley be able to hold down a regular spot in the Arsenal team?
Pat J
I wouldn’t say he’s top draw, although he has potential, but I do like the physicality he would bring to our team. Arsenal desperately need more combative players, especially in midfield, because we’re so easily bullied out of games.
Ramsey, Ozil, and Wilshere definitely need to go, and we cannot rely on Santi anymore because of his injuries, but I’d keep him around for another season. So we need to start strengthening our midfield asap (or last days of the transfer window if Wenger is still in charge).
Barkley is another mediocre.
Waste of space.
Huge potential but somehow failed to develop beyond a certain point – seems to be the case with the vast majority of English players recently. Does the money and the fame get to their heads?
I had hoped Koeman would have been able to take him to the next level – but Koeman (publicly) displayed very little patience with Barkley’s attitude and demands.
Is he an improvement on Ramsey (at his best)? I don’t really think so. I’d only want us to sign him if we’re getting rid of Jack Wilshere in the summer. As a squad player, he’d be ahead of Elneny and Coquelin ofcourse.
Barkley is a decent player, but not good enough to be a starting player for Arsenal or any other top six club. He is not assured a place in Everton’s side and he is one of the Toffees own. He could be a valuable role player for the Gunners as he has shown promise and at his best he can deliver special moments. He could hold down a Tomas Rosicky role at Arsenal, but Barley would be better off finding a club that will give him a real chanceto be on the team sheet every week.
The team he should sign for is Newcastle. The toon need players with Premier League experience and will need to spend some money. Barkley would be ideal as his contract is winding down and he has a lot of league experience. He could step into the role that Jonjo Shelvy has been performing at Newcastle, adding class, experience, and quality to the toon.
Some other Premier League clubs that would love to have Barkley;
1. West Ham. The Hammers desperately need help in the middle of the park. Would Barkley work hard enough? That’s unknown, but looking at the Irons midfield, Barley would at least have a chnace to be in the team every weekend.
2. Bournemouth. Wilshire showed how much the Cherries need a dynamic, ball playing central midfielder. They were a different team with Wilshire pulling the strings, even though the players often seemed unwilling to pass to Arsenal’s star man. If Barkley came in a pairing of he and Harry Arter would be very interesting.
3. Stoke City – Barkley is exactly the kind of mobile, aggressive, attack-minded player Mark Hughes needs for a new-look Potter side that has gone as far as it can with the players it has. Barkley would add passing, goals, and football intelligence to a midfield that needs all three.
4. Celtic – A number of players have shown their worth by playing for the Scottish Champions. The lack of competition allows the manager to give players time to grow into positions and make mistakes. Since the Hoops also play Champions League football, playing for Celtic would give Barkley a chance to market himself o top European clubs. Barkley might go north and prove himself as Victor Wanyama, Virgil Van Dijk, Moussa Dembele, Fraser Forster and Kieran Tierny have. Going north on a two or three year deal might give Barkley a platform to prove his mettle.
5. Southampton – The Saints have some serious issues in their attcking midfield and Barkley might be just the man to address them. For Barkley, players successful for the Saints often go on to bigger clubs, so a successful stint down south would give him a real chance to again be considered by Champions League teams.
Not sure where the idea that Barkley is an aggressive combative midfielder came from, most blues would disagree with that.
I would love him to stay at Everton, but think he will go.
Wenger might just be the man to unlock his vast potential as most players seem to improve under him.
No, no, no!!! Once-upon-a-time Ross Barkley was going to take the premier league by storm, and become a hero for England at international level. None of that has materialised, and it never will.
He is a good player that can make an impact now-and-again, but not with any consistency. We already have Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey to drive us mad with their unreliability, not to mention all the others that leave you guessing regarding which version of themselves will turn-up on match day.
If Arsenal buy players are not good enough for Koeman’s Everton, then mid-table here we come, and 4th place + FA Cup will start looking like heaven in 5-10 years. Ross Barkley is not the direction the world’s 5th richest club should be going in. I’d definitely take Ronald Koeman though!
No, he is not good enough. Gives the ball away too regularly in possession, hasn’t got a good final ball and is extremely reckless in the tackle. Would much rather sign Sigurdsson for £25m.