According to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United have joined Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the race to sign Everton attacking midfielder Ross Barkley, and they could make their move later on in the summer transfer window if the Toffees' valuation drops to around £20m.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that the Red Devils are monitoring the situation of Barkley, who has just a year remaining on his Toffees contract and has turned down a new £110,000-a-week offer.
His manager Ronald Koeman had previously said that the 23-year-old would be sold this summer unless he committed his future to the club, and an exit is looking more and more likely following the arrivals of Wayne Rooney and Davy Klaassen and the interest in Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The Mirror says that while Jose Mourinho is an admirer of the England international, he has more pressing matters right now as he looks to build a squad that can compete for the Premier League title as well as make an impact on their return to the Champions League.
However, the report adds that Everton want £50m for the player and that has so far put his potential suitors off, although United could make their move if the asking price drops to something around £20m in the coming weeks.
How did Barkley do last season?
The attacking midfielder scored five goals and provided a further nine assists in 36 Premier League appearances for the Toffees as they secured a spot in the Europa League, but he once again failed to show those influential and creative performances on a consistent basis.
That fact obviously concerned Koeman given the business he has done this summer, but Barkley has also shown in glimpses just how good he is now, and can be in the future.
Would he be a good signing for United?
He certainly would be, but he may not be a starter right away.
The 23-year-old is set to miss the start of the Premier League season with a groin injury according to The Mirror, but he would be an addition that would add depth and future promise to the United squad rather than being a guaranteed fixture in Mourinho’s first XI.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, none of the interested clubs are going to buy Barkley for £50m given his contract situation, but if United could get him for around £20m then it could turn out to be a bargain.
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