The Everton midfielder is a reported transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur.
Everton’s Ross Barkley in action
Reports emanated last week concerning the future of Toffees star Ross Barkley, with the Mirror claiming that Spurs have made the 23-year-old their top transfer priority in the summer.
Although the Everton man is an incredibly talented player, a move to White Hart Lane would seem to make little sense, what with the abundance of central midfielder options already available to Mauricio Pochettino.
Barkley also has the tendency to hold onto the ball for too long – something that wouldn’t fit into Tottenham’s high-tempo, direct brand of football.
The number 10 role is certainly taken, what with Dele Alli’s sensational rise to prominence, so where would Barkley actually fit in?
Wide right is potential option, but the Blues midfielder is far more effective in a central role, and sometimes seems lost when deployed on the wing.
It is, in fact, in the wide attacking areas where Tottenham really need to strengthen, with a world class winger high on the wish-list of Spurs fans, especially with the future of Erik Lamela far from certain.
Tottenham’s Erik Lamela
The Argentine has not played for Tottenham since the end of October, and with no expected return date in sight, his absence is becoming increasingly more concerning with each week that passes.
And Barkley would certainly not be a like-for-like replacement, should Lamela leave the club over the summer.
Pochettino needs to be targeting natural wide men, with pace to burn, if he is to genuinely improve his squad over the summer.
And passing on the Everton midfielder would be a sensible decision all-around from Tottenham.
Everton’s Ross Barkley in action
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