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