The Premier League starts tomorrow but last season’s runners up, Tottenham Hotspur are yet to make an addition to their first team this summer. They will be without a recognized right back for the first game against Newcastle United but Mauricio Pochettino is looking to strengthen his side elsewhere.
The Argentine manager knows that his side needs an attacking addition to make sure that they can compete on all four fronts next season and one player they are extensively monitoring is Everton star, Ross Barkley.
Barkley could go for £25m:
The English midfielder wants to quit his current club Everton in search of Champions League football and decided to reject a contract extension late last season. He has less than a year left on his contract at the moment but Everton were determined to squeeze £50m out of his potential suitors, earlier in the transfer window.
However, with time running out, they are now ready to offload him for around £25m and Tottenham Hotspur are now facing competition from Champions Chelsea for his signature this summer.
A real steal:
Though he has not been consistent in the last couple of seasons for Everton in the first team, he is one of the most exciting midfielders the English domestic system has to offer and in the current, inflated, transfer market, he is an absolute steal.
A versatile midfielder with decent dribbling skills and exceptional vision, Barkley is an attacking minded midfielder who, at 23, is already a polished commodity in the Premier League. He is strong and adept at holding up play while his skills and understanding of the game allow him to stay a step ahead of his opponents.
He must work on consistency in his creativity in the final third and also on his defensive duties but with 22 national team appearances and 150 Premier League appearances, is one of the most established stars around in the country.
How will he fit in?
Pochettino is expected to stick with Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane as the attacking trio this season and the likes of Eric Lamela, Heung-Min Son, Vincent Janssen and Moussa Sissoko are all expected to be backups.
Barkley might not be able to replace the first team stars but he is an upgrade on the backups and will walk into the first team in attack if Pochettino decides to use a 4-2-3-1 system this season. Barkley can also play as a part of the midfield, replacing the fleet-footed Mousa Dembele if needed, making him a versatile option.
At just 23 and costing just £25m, Barkley will now be one of the most attractive players in the transfer market and Spurs should act quickly if they want him in their squad for the new campaign.
