Everton are reportedly willing to sell midfielder Ross Barkley for £30million in January.
According to the Daily Express, Everton are prepared to sell playmaker Ross Barkley for £30million in January – and Tottenham are ‘expected to seek first refusal’.
The Toffees are expected to be busy in the January transfer market after the end of the summer window proved to be something of a damp squib for Ronald Koeman’s side.
Recent results haven’t been great, meaning Koeman needs reinforcements – and two players are being heavily linked with the club, as Manchester United duo Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay appear to be top targets.
Everton’s Ross Barkley
However, the Daily Express report that Everton will potentially look to fund moves for both players by opening themselves up to offers for playmaker Ross Barkley.
Barkley, 23, hit eight goals and eight assists last season but has struggled to make an impact under new Everton boss Koeman this term, notching just two goals and two assists so far.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman speaks to Ross Barkley as Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino looks on
Barkley is out of contract in the summer of 2018, meaning he’s approaching the final 18 months of his deal – and speculation unsurprisingly surrounds his future ahead of the January transfer window.
Reports from the London Evening Standard and The Telegraph in midweek suggested that Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Barkley, with Mauricio Pochettino’s side looking to add more English talent to their squad.
Now, the Daily Express report that Everton are willing to sell Barkley for £30million in January, with Tottenham allegedly seeking an intriguing agreement; first refusal on the midfielder in case the Toffees do choose to sell next month.
Ultimately, it would be a huge surprise to see Spurs chairman Daniel Levy fund a £30million January deal for Barkley, whilst negotiating a first refusal with a Premier League rival may not be as easy as it sounds.
Barkley would bring quality to the Tottenham side, and he could develop under Pochettino much like England stars Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Harry Kane have, but a summer move may be more likely for Barkley, given that Koeman told The Mirror on Friday that he intends to open talks over a new deal for the midfielder in the new year.
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