Antonio Conte’s failure to speak to Ross Barkley while the midfielder contemplated a move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day last week was the result of direct instructions from the club.
The Times has learnt that Chelsea decided to keep the head coach away from transfer negotiations after his unsuccessful talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the same week, which ended with the Arsenal midfielder opting to join Liverpool.
Chelsea’s tactics backfired however, as Barkley chose to return to Everton to continue his rehabilitation from a hamstring tear and is instead expected to seek a transfer in January. Contrary to reports, the 23-year-old player did not get anywhere near Stamford Bridge or Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham. He is believed to have changed his mind about the move en route from Liverpool to London, a decision at least partially influenced by his failure to speak to Conte.
Barkley had asked to speak to Conte to seek clarification about the Italian’s plans for him after Everton accepted a £35 million bid from Chelsea last Thursday, but a call never materialised. Conte’s relations with the Chelsea board have been tense throughout a difficult summer in which there has been considerable disagreement over transfer business and he is not believed to have had an active role in speaking to targets when the deadline neared last week.
Conte had told Oxlade-Chamberlain that he would be competing with Victor Moses for the right wing-back spot if he moved to Stamford Bridge, which was instrumental in him deciding to join Liverpool where Jürgen Klopp has promised him the chance to play in central midfield, but Chelsea have been careful not to blame Conte for missing out on the player as they seek to improve relations now the window has closed.
Conte did not speak to Danny Drinkwater on deadline day either before his late £35 million move from Leicester City, with all of Chelsea’s transfer business conducted by Michael Emenalo, the technical director, and Marina Granovskaia, a director.
Chelsea intend to make another attempt to sign Barkley during the January transfer window and are hopeful of being successful at the second attempt, but will face competition from Tottenham Hotspur.
The club’s position is that they respect Barkley’s reasons for wanting more time to consider his future despite the oversight of failing to put him in touch with their head coach.