Shropshire Star

Ross Barkley’s Everton career over as he looks for new challenge

The local-born England international had been stalling on a new £100,000-a-week contract offer made earlier this year.

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Midfielder Ross Barkley’s Everton career is over after he told manager Ronald Koeman he wants a new challenge.

The local-born England international, who joined the Toffees academy as an 11-year-old, had been stalling on a new £100,000-a-week contract offer made earlier this year and Koeman gave him a deadline for the end of the season to sign it or be sold.

Barkley, who has less than a year remaining on his current deal, has subsequently told Koeman he wants to move to another club and the manager’s response was predictably blunt.

“It is not (an) Everton future any more, it is his decision, I need to respect that and then we will see what happens.

“My priority is not Ross, with respect, it is his decision. I look more to other players. I knew (this) at the end of the season.”

Everton manager Ronald Koeman (Simon Galloway/EMPICS)
Ronald Koeman said Ross Barkley told him he wants a new challenge (Simon Galloway/EMPICS)

Tottenham were linked with a move for Barkley, although their interest appears to have cooled after reports he wanted £150,000-a-week, with speculation also claiming Manchester United and Arsenal have considered the midfielder.

However, at the moment his options look limited after Koeman said there were not any realistic offers on the table and he was prepared to allow Barkley to run down his contract if necessary.

That presents the midfielder with a potential prospect of not having any game time in a season leading up to a World Cup.

Ross Barkley (Peter Byrne/PA)
Ross Barkley will be out for possibly the next month (Peter Byrne/PA)

“What I heard from the board is there is not really an offer on the table for Ross,” added Koeman.

“It is really clear, I am looking to other players and that is my priority and not Ross, with respect. It is his decision.”

Barkley is currently injured, having had surgery on a minor groin problem, and will be out for possibly the next month.

However, he will be expected to return to training as normal when he has recovered and Koeman has no plans to isolate him from the main group.

“He had his groin surgery last week and normally it takes three to four weeks before he is back,” he added.

“He has one more year of contract and we work with respect for people and if he is back after his surgery, after the injury, and back for training he will be part of first team sessions.”

Asked whether he had noticed a change in the player since his return for pre-season Koeman said: “No, he is the same.”

Koeman has signed six players already this summer and will continue to plough ahead with a move for Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, viewed as Barkley’s replacement, after having a second bid of £45million turned down.

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