There is a sense of deja vu in the story of Tottenham-linked Everton star Ross Barkley that will resonate with West Ham United and Chelsea fans.
Ross Barkley beats the Everton badge after scoring
Barkley has been making the headlines for a variety of reasons this season, most notably for often failing to live up to the hype.
It is a situation that would resonate with West Ham United fans and their former hero Joe Cole.
In fact the scenarios are strikingly similar.
Like Cole, Barkley is a skillful attacking midfielder, likened to Paul Gascoigne, who has been talked about as the next big thing for club and country from a young age.
Emerging from their Academies in the Premier League at similar sized clubs with similar ambitions and the weight of expectation heavy on their young shoulders, Barkley and Cole could be one and the same.
Ronald Koeman dropped the exciting midfielder this season and publicly warned him he must improve the defensive side of his game.
While Harry Redknapp initially indulged Cole’s prodigious talents, his successor Glenn Roeder took a similar line to Koeman and pushed Cole out wide to teach him defensive discipline.
In the end, though, with the Hammers suffering relegation Cole was forced to move to improve and joined Chelsea.
Ronald Koeman substitutes Barkley
And speculation recently has linked Barkley with a move away to West Ham’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
While Everton have proved their ambition in this season, Barkley’s stuttering Goodison Park career could persuade him to follow a similar path to Cole who only began to cement a place in the England side once he moved to Stamford Bridge.
Joe Cole was lauded like Barkley when he emerged from West Ham’s Academy
It was there that Jose Mourinho relentlessly worked to turn the gifted maverick into a team player. And he became a key player for the national side as a result.
Could it be the same story with Barkley and Mauricio Pochettino and could Gareth Southgate’s England snub be the deciding factor for Barkley?
The summer will provide some answers.
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