Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is still interested in a deal for Everton playmaker Ross Barkley, however, the north Londoners are reluctant to fork out the Toffees’ £50m asking price, according to reports from The Sun.
What’s the word?
The tabloid claim that, while the former Southampton boss, who led Spurs to a second place finish in the Premier League last season, thinks Barkley would be an ideal fit at White Hart Lane (or Wembley Stadium for next season, at least) the club are not willing to meet the Merseysider’s valuation.
The England international’s relationship with manager Ronald Koeman reached breaking point at the end of the last term, with stalled contract talks resulting in an ultimatum from the Dutch boss.
While it is true that Barkley is yet to reach the heights expected of him when he first broke onto the Premier League scene, the powers that be at Goodison Park still know his potential means they can command a hefty fee.
Back Pochettino
Tottenham have run the closest race to the last two title winners but have, in the end, bottled it on both occasions. It is clear that depth is a problem faced by Pochettino, but simply bulking up the numbers with signings such as Moussa Sissoko and Vincent Janssen has be proven not to work.
The Argentine needs quality players to offer an alternative if they are to claim silverware in their season at the national stadium, and Barkley can offer exactly that – so long as Daniel Levy backs his manager.
The 23-year-old, who could easily take a starting berth in Pochettino’s side, can also offer an alternative to the likes of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-Min when their respective form cools, and vice versa.
