Chelsea, City and United in £30m battle for starlet Barkley
-
Villas-Boas lines up £20m January bid for Everton youngster Barkley
Chelsea target: Everton midfielder Ross Barkley
Kids are alright: Andre Villas-Boas is determined to buy young players
Chelsea will try to take advantage of Everton's financial difficulties with a £20million January bid for teenage midfielder Ross Barkley.
Barkley does not turn 18 until December but is already being touted as one of the hottest prospects in the Premier League.
The Blues made an informal approach in the summer and, according to the Daily Mirror, will up the stakes with the big-money bid when the transfer window reopens in the winter.
Barkley was discovered by scout Mick Doherty, who left Goodison Park for Stamford Bridge a few weeks ago.
Everton manager David Moyes, who has started Barkley three times this season, is desperate to keep the youngster but could do with the cash to reinvest in players.
Much has been made about the average age of Chelsea's squad and manager Andre Villas-Boas has addressed the issue by bringing in the likes of teenagers Oriol Romeu and Romelu Lukaka, while fellow new recruit Juan Mata is only 23.
Barkley is next on Villas-Boas' list and the Portuguese coach will weigh in with the huge offer knowing that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has also been keeping an eye on the Merseyside-born player.
-
if media hyped him as very good, he must be damn good at his age, another rooney in the making. united must die die get him at all costs, even forking out 27m paid for Rooney in 2004 when Rooney was just 18 years of age.
-
why so many good youngster from everton?
everton must find a rich new owner.
sigh...
-
Chelsea, Manchester City and United in £30m battle for Everton starlet Barkley
Teen sensation: Ross Barkley
The Premier League's big three spenders are preparing for a £30million transfer battle which will shatter the world-record fee for a teenage footballer.
Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all made known their interest in Everton's midfield sensation Ross Barkley.
He is seen by some as an even better prospect than another Goodison Park product, Wayne Rooney, and is set to top the £25.6m United paid for the then 18-year-old seven years ago.
Although Everton will fight to hang on to Barkley, who is not 18 until December, their dire financial situation has made them vulnerable to big offers. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation.
One top representative said: 'I thought Stevie Gerrard was the best kid in his position that I've ever seen, but Barkley is as good. There's no doubt he is going to be a top player.'
Barkley's progress is all the more remarkable following his horrific triple leg fracture playing for England Under-19s in Belgium last year, which put him out for 10 months.
England coach Noel Blake remembers the incident, a collision with team-mate Andre Wisdom, vividly. 'I still don't feel comfortable thinking about it, as it was so upsetting,' he said.
'Thankfully, he has recovered and it shows his strength of character that he has got back so quickly.'
Second coming: Some rate Barkley a better prospect than Rooney
David Moyes has never been afraid to follow the old adage 'if they're good enough, they're old enough'.
But the Everton manager is determined to nurture Barkley's talents at the right pace.
'Evertonians have not got an awful lot to be excited about at the moment so Ross gives everybody something to look at and cling on to,' he said.
'But I will have to pick and choose him at the right times. It is not just because of his age but also because of his lack of football.'
Barkley's future could be a key factor when Moyes decides whether or not to accept a two-year extension to his own contract.
-
everton should hold out for more money.
-
I dun think united have the money to buy Barkley. united doesnt even has the money to buy Sneider in the off season. if everton wants to sell, it will sell at the price at 27m.
I dun tink he is a better prospects than rooney. rooney at aged 18, already scored 4 goals in euro 2004. he even scored on his england and united debut.
-
30m? Forget it and move on, talk about overpriced.