Koeman: "Barkley looking for a new challenge"

[MCFCmanchester]

A move to City makes the least sense out of everything. Look at their attacking midfield options: De Bruyne, Silva, Bernardo, Sane, Sterling. The latter 3 are younger than Barkley too so the "potential" thing doesn't work. He would get less game time than Delph there.

i can't see him coming to city. but i think he would play in the yaya role. hes 34 now and can't play every week. delph like rod well is always injured and being sold anyway.

 

[BlueToff]

Irrespective of him turning down the contract offer, securing deals for Barry and Baines, before addressing the Barkley contract, showed great naivety on the board's part and undoubtedly will cost the club millions.

This I do agree with.

Though, in fairness - just to balance it out - I don't think it's unreasonable to start contract discussions with a player when they have 18 months left on the deal, which is what we did.

 

[Thomasc]

You cant be serious in that assessment? You must have seen enough of Barkley to know he's way more talented than that lot?

Imo he'll go to a top 4 club or Arsenal and win trophies. And be starting most games.

No, that's what you want to happen, so you can slate Koeman.

You put all of that before your alleged following of Everton.

Just because your man crush was sacked.

Weird behaviour for a grown man.

 

[davek]

I personally believe not one person involved with Everton FC thought he would turn down the offer of a very lucrative new contract.

I am curious to know how long exactly the offer of this new contract had been on the table. If it was indeed last summer when the contract was first tabled, then its been an utter shambles all around.

Didn't certain "trusted ITKs" state that a contract hadn't even been put on the table until just prior to the end of last season?

That would place a different complexion on things.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

You cant be serious in that assessment? You must have seen enough of Barkley to know he's way more talented than that lot?

Imo he'll go to a top 4 club or Arsenal and win trophies. And be starting most games.

The point was in response to "To sit on their bench & help fill their home grown player quota"

Plenty have done it - Sinclair and Delph being quick examples.

He said he wants Champions League, I don't think Ross Barkley starts regularly at a Chelsea, Man City or Spurs.

Barkley wouldn't even start regularly at Everton this season.

 

[BlueToff]

Spot on mate. Mirallas too.

Didn't Mirallas sign in April?

We started negotiations in January with Ross... That's not unreasonable.

Though I do agree with @rochdaleblue in that we could have started earlier in the season, albeit he wasn't playing well.

 

[Callum_efc]

not sure what he means by a new challenge. He's obviously had his head turned.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

You cant be serious in that assessment? You must have seen enough of Barkley to know he's way more talented than that lot?

Imo he'll go to a top 4 club or Arsenal and win trophies. And be starting most games.

No he won't, he wouldn't even come close to starting games for Arsenal.

 

[Thomasc]

Read through the comments on the BBC site.

The whole world and his dog knows that Barkley is an enigma.

Not many fans from anywhere clamouring for his signature, pretty much sums up his situation to be fair.

 

[peteblue]

Ross Barkley on signing his last contract....

“I knew what it meant to me when Rooney left because he was one of the better players at the time.

“We thought Everton could’ve pushed on at the time but when he left we were all down.

“I know how the fans felt and I just wanted to sign and push on for Everton.”

 

[BlueToff]

Didn't certain "trusted ITKs" state that a contract hadn't even been put on the table until just prior to the end of last season?

That would place a different complexion on things.

Well, one did.

And while I value their posts, I trust Joyce and Hunter more, and I'm sure both have mentioned that it has been months in negotiations.

Walsh did say in April Ross had been in talks and he "would be" offered a deal, before Koeman said in early May "he has been offered a deal"

I think negotiations went on for a while and when we finally did offer it, Ross maybe had made his mind up.

But the rumblings he wanted out have also been going on since Jan/Feb time as well...

 

[4737carlin]

In this market today (the one that Everton seem to have helped create) he'd go for close on £50M if he had three seasons on his contract. The fact that the club will be mugged off is appalling.

True that, real poor from Barkley to do this but unfortunately there is nothin we can do, but we know we are in good hands with both Moshiri and Koeman and Barkley wanting away isnt going to derail the progress we have made over the lst 12 months.

 

[davek]

The situation is what it is Dave. There is probably a series of events that prevented contract talks happening early. The ownership change, Martinez and his poor management contributing to RB's dip in form, Martinez getting the sack, RB going away to a European final (to not play) and then Koeman coming in and taking time to assess his new squad. From the looks of it contract talks started Christmas so 5 months into Koemans reign. It should never have gotten to that poiint but we are where we are and that's RB has turned down an incredibly generous offer, especially when you consider how poor he was during Roberto's last two seasons.
The club will sell him and i imagine his agent has already agreed terms with someone because otherwise what would be the point in turning down a contract and risk being sold to some mid-table side. I expect he'll be at Spurs or maybe City because he helps their homegrown quota. Maybe the change with finally make him the player he has the potential to be, maybe it won't and he'll be sold to Watford or somebody - who knows.

His best ever season was Martinez's final one here....and that even after clocking off for the last two months with the rest of the refuseniks.

I agree, he's defo gone. Koeman doesn't want him and he doesn't relish playing for a manager who cant support him. And he'll go because he's a player in high demand form the top clubs, despite what Koeman stated yesterday about no bids....there's no bids at this stage because Everton are over a barrel and can be left with him until the last week of the window.

 

[Tin-Tin]

Didn't certain "trusted ITKs" state that a contract hadn't even been put on the table until just prior to the end of last season?

That would place a different complexion on things.

That ITK has now said that Ross' camp have been spreading lies.

 

[rochdaleblue]

Didn't Mirallas sign in April?

We started negotiations in January with Ross... That's not unreasonable.

Though I do agree with @rochdaleblue in that we could have started earlier in the season, albeit he wasn't playing well.

It's not unreasonable if you are convinced that the player will sign (that's probably what the board thought) but it then leaves you only one window (this one) to shift the player if he doesn't, with his price diminishing by the day.