Should Chelsea sign Ross Barkley?

The three major London clubs — Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham — are monitoring the situation of Everton midfielder Ross Barkley. According to reports from the Telegraph, Spurs are considering making a bid for the England international in the January transfer window.

Barkley, who progressed through the youth ranks at Everton, is one of the key players for the Merseyside club. He is a highly talented midfielder and has the potential to become a world-class player. However, inconsistency is the only demon that is preventing him from fulfilling his potential for both club and country. On one hand, he is capable of producing moments of extraordinary brilliance…and then he would go on for a prolonged period without significantly contributing for the team.

The Everton midfielder has 18 months left on his contract. He hasn’t been able to perform to his best level under current manager Ronald Koeman. His form has dropped considerably, and Spurs are ready to try their luck in January with the belief that Koeman may be willing to sell for the right price.

Chelsea have been following the midfielder’s development for some time now, but in all probability, the Blues won’t make any move for him this January. However, a potential bid next summer for the midfielder cannot be completely ruled out. Oscar‘s move to the Chinese Super League has freed up the space, and Antonio Conte may look to add another homegrown talent to his ranks to fill the void.

Another thing that Chelsea will have to consider is that they do not pay over the odds for Barkley. Everton would demand a huge transfer fee for the English midfielder. A similar ploy was used by them to sell Jon Stones in the summer. A lot of it will depend on how Barkley performs till the end of the season.

Barkley, however, is not thinking about leaving the club right now, but rather concentrating on trying to win and hold down a first-team starting place. If Chelsea sign Barkley, they will sign a player who is far from being the finished product. At the same time, they will sign a player who has the potential to become a top player. With Barkley, there is always a gamble.