Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has had his say on the recent transfer rumours linking Celtic with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.

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On Twitter, the journalist was asked by another user if there was any truth in the rumours linking the Englishman with a move to Parkhead. In response, Joseph replied by saying that he doesn't believe there is anything in it as things stand.

With 319 senior appearances under his belt throughout his career, the 28-year-old has netted 46 times and delivered 41 assists in the process, which shows how useful he can be in front of goal.

Despite his talent, the midfielder has not been able to make himself a regular first-team figure under Thomas Tuchel, starting just four of the 14 games in which he appeared across all competitions last season.

Postecoglou should be gutted

Bearing in mind how the Hoops have seen midfielders such as Tom Rogic, Nir Bitton, Ismaila Soro and Luca Connell exiting the club this summer, it's safe to say that this is an area of the squad which could do with being strengthened before the end of the summer transfer window.

Therefore, adding a player like Barkley, who has plenty of experience of playing in the Premier League, could be a smart move for the Hoops.

To further highlight what he'd be able to offer the Bhoys, in his six Premier League games last season, the midfielder took nine shots at goal in total, with four of those being on target, leaving him with the highest rate for shots (4.53) and shots on target (2.01) per 90 minutes in the Chelsea squad.

This shows that, even as a midfielder, the £100k-per-week Englishman could be a real nuisance for opposition goalkeepers in the Premiership.

Taking into account how Ange Postecoglou's team ended their previous league campaign with the highest number of goals scored in the division (92) and more shots at goal (757) than any other top-flight side, adding an extra goal threat to the squad such as Barkley would surely boost the Hoops' chances of not only retaining the league title but being successful in other competitions too.

With all that in mind, it will surely be disappointing for Postecoglou to not see his club launch themselves at a potential opportunity to sign the Chelsea outcast, knowing what he'd be able to offer Celtic on the pitch.

Also, with 81% of voters in a recent poll ran by Football FanCast saying that they think Barkley would be a good signing for the Bhoys, it would also make it a disappointment for the fans to hear Joseph's update on the matter.