Blues see double Chelsea to open Barkley talks as Ox rejects Arsenal deal
Chelsea plan to hold talks with Everton over Ross Barkley after their Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge tomorrow and have been boosted by the news that Alex Oxlade-chamberlain has turned down Arsenal’s latest contract offer.
Barkley is one of three Englishmen,
along with Danny Drinkwater and Oxlade-chamberlain, Chelsea want to sign before the transfer window shuts on Thursday.
Oxlade-chamberlain has rejected Arsenal’s £180,000-a-week contract offer made on Thursday and appears to be leaving.
Tottenham Hotspur are favourites to sign Barkley, but Chelsea are not giving up without a fight and tomorrow provides the perfect opportunity to step up their interest.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri attended last season’s game and he and chairman Bill Kenwright both live in London. If they attend, Chelsea will take the chance to try to open negotiations with Everton and make life difficult for Tottenham in their bid to land Barkley.
Spurs are willing to pay £20million, plus £8million in add-ons, for Barkley despite the fact the mid-
fielder is out for around three months with a torn hamstring.
But Chelsea are ready to battle for Barkley, believing he could be one of the signings of the summer.
Chelsea’s relationship with Everton has been strained ever since the champions failed with a series of bids for defender John Stones. The bad feeling did not help Chelsea when they tried to re-sign Romelu Lukaku this summer, only to lose out to Manchester United.
Chelsea will now hope that a face-to-face meeting could improve relations and help their bid to
land Barkley, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract.
Tottenham hope the attraction of working under manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has a good track record of bringing through English players, will be enough to convince Barkley to sign. Chelsea are waiting to hear whether Arsenal will allow Oxlade-chamberlain to join them for £35million this month.
Having been informed that Oxlade-chamberlain would not sign a new contract and wanted to leave, Arsenal must decide whether to sell him before Thursday or let him leave for free next summer.
Liverpool retain a strong interest in Oxlade-chamberlain, but Chelsea are optimistic the England international will pick Stamford Bridge over Anfield.
Antonio Conte, meanwhile, has warned his Chelsea players that
Wayne Rooney will be more of a threat than ever tomorrow now England are no longer a distraction.
Conte admitted his side must “pay great attention” to the Everton striker when the sides meet for Rooney’s first game since announcing his international retirement.
For the first time since he was 17, a fully-fit Rooney will enjoy a twoweek rest after tomorrow while England play World Cup qualifiers.
Asked whether the 31-year-old would be a more difficult opponent as a result, Conte said: “For sure. Now, Rooney is totally committed for Everton. After this game, there is an international break. For the players who don’t go with the national team, there is a rest.
“For sure, we have to pay great attention on Sunday against Rooney, but against Everton as a whole.”