Rangers reported move for Ross Barkley is one that not many would have seen coming despite the England international ticking a lot of boxes for what we need in our midfield.
The 28-year old has far from the injury history of Aaron Ramsey and a significantly better attitude than Joey Barton for those that are worried about history repeating itself.
He was available all of last season for Chelsea and only missed around half a dozen games for Aston Villa the season before when he was out on loan, fitness hasn’t really been an issue, manager and not fitting into a style of play/system has.
With a six-figure weekly salary being reported and his contract torn up by Chelsea, he is now free to negotiate his next move and, writing on his Twitter feed, Fraser Fletcher, a journalist who has been on both the BBC and BT, has claimed that the scouser could well be heading north to be reunited with former England Under-17 and Everton team-mate John Lundstram:
There is a now a general belief amoung many within the game that Ross Barkley will end up in the SPFL in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/nZ9ifyi0TO
— Fraser Fletcher (@FrazFletcher) August 30, 2022
“There is a now a general belief among many within the game that Ross Barkley will end up in the SPFL in the coming days.”
Barkley – who is still valued at over £10million – has years of experience at the top level and still has plenty to offer, especially on a free transfer, he will get more lucrative offers from down south but the lure of the Champions League can be a strong one.
Personally, it is in the Scottish Premiership where I think he would be most effective, being able to beat players with the ball is a huge asset as is his natural front-foot attitude when it comes to attacking. We’ve not had a genuine number eight for years but Barkley wouldn’t be a bad place to start.