Everton bombshell: First teamer tells Koeman he wants to quit
By Harry Sykes
Ronald Koeman has confirmed that Ross Barkley will leave Everton this summer.
The Toffees manager revealed at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the playmaker had told him he wanted to quit his boyhood club.
Academy product Barkley has made his intentions clear after snubbing Everton’s offer of a new contract to replace his current deal, which expires next summer.
“He told me he’s looking for a new challenge,” said Koeman, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of BBC journalist Juliette Ferrington.
It has been widely reported that Everton have slapped a £50million price tag on Barkley amid interest in him from Tottenham.
The playmaker, 23, was dropped from the Toffees’ starting line-up by Ronald Koeman on a few occasions last season but still returned five goals and nine assists in 36 Premier League appearances.
Football Insider verdict:
Koeman has stated the obvious by publicly confirming that contract rebel Barkley wants out. The question is, where is he heading? And, how much will it cost to get him? £50m is a fantasy figure for a player of immense potential but little consistency and who has entered the final year of his contract. Everton will want a bidding war, but is the England international good enough to warrant one? Spurs are said to have cooled their interest, but Koeman’s public statement could be enough to get them back to the negotiating table. A £30m deal would be a smart one for a club of ambition and patience. Barkley still has plenty of time on his side.
In other Everton transfer news, the club are still in hot pursuit of this Premier League playmaker.
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