Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has just over a year left on his contract at the Merseyside club
Recently all the talk about Everton seems to have surrounded the future of star striker Romelu Lukaku.
With more than two years left on his contract with the Toffees, his contract situation is not in urgent need of attention.
However, there is another key player whose contract situation is and that is playmaker Ross Barkley.
The England international will have just 12 months on his contract in the summer. That is a highly dangerous position for the Merseysiders to be in.
Ronald Koeman on Barkley’s future
With contract talks expected to take place in the near future. Everton boss Ronald Koeman was typically honest on the subject, saying at his weekly press conference: “Ross is a boy from Everton and we need to show him the reasons to stay,”
“But Barkley’s situation is different to Romelu because next season will be the last year of his contract.
“You make decisions at the end of the season and you sign a new contract or you sell the player. There is no ‘ultimatum’ but that’s business – and the player needs to understand this.”
The Dutchman likes stating his mind and it seems simple to the former Southampton boss. Koeman is only stating the obvious really, though. Most teams will sell players with just 12 months left on their contract, instead of losing them for nothing.
Barkley has started to shine
England international Barkley has endured a difficult season. At the start of the campaign, the playmaker was struggling to find his form. On a number of occasions, Koeman criticised the midfielder and even dropped him from the team.
However, Koeman’s tough love has paid off in recent months and Barkley is starting to produce on a far more regular basis. His consistency in recent months has led to a recall to the England squad having missed out in recent squads.
Barkley is suddenly looking full of confidence. He is finally making a difference for his team in the final third. The Wavertree-born star is no longer over-elaborating and it has helped improve his game. He is no longer giving the ball away as much and making the right decisions on more occasions.
Everton fans are willing Barkley to come good as one of their own. He is often seen as a scapegoat for the fans because he is a local lad and they tend to get more stick.
However, unlike Lukaku he is an Evertonian through and through. He has the club running through his veins, so hopefully, he will commit his future to the Blues. With Tottenham rumoured to be interested in signing him, then the Toffees cannot afford to waste time.
The possibility of Everton losing Barkley and Lukaku in the summer is a terrible one. They are the two key players in the Toffees squad. If Everton are to progress in the future then the Merseysiders have to keep these sorts of players.
Barkley to help Everton to sixth place
Everton are currently seventh in the Premier League table. However, the Toffees could move up to sixth if they record a win over Hull City on Saturday afternoon, a game they are odds of 8/15 to win.
Koeman’s side have recorded five straight league wins at Goodison Park. Barkley has been a key player in that good run of form. His combination play with Lukaku, in particular, has been very good in the last few months.
The Toffees are favourites to defeat Hull. However, the Tigers are fighting for their lives and under Marco Silva have given themselves a chance to survive the drop this season.
If Barkley continues in his current vein of form on home soil, then the Toffees are more likely to record another win and move into the top six of the Premier League.
Lukaku may be regarded as Everton’s star player. However, local lad Ross Barkley is also an important player and it is vital for the Toffees to tie the midfielder down to a long-term contract before it is too late.
Will Ross Barkley be at Everton next season?
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