Barkley believes he has matured since last call for the Three Lions

CHELSEA midfielder Ross Barkley admits that he has “matured” as a footballer after being recalled to the England squad after a two-year absence.

Barkley has not played for the Three Lions since the friendly against Australia prior to Euro 2016, but was handed a recall last week by Gareth Southgate as England continue their Nations League campaign against Croatia and Spain.

The Chelsea man came through a difficult end to his Everton days as well as a serious hamstring injury at the start of his Stamford Bridge career to establish himself in the first-team picture under Maurizio Sarri, and he feels he deserves to be back in the squad after maturing on and off the pitch.

“I’m over the moon to be back, I feel like it’s been a long time coming but I feel like I have worked hard over the last couple of years and that it’s fully deserved that I am back here,” he told a press conference.

“I feel like I have matured as a person and understood what football is, and taken little details on as I have done now under the manager [Sarri]. Things are going really well for me now and I’m fully focused on improving and kicking on.”

On missing out on the summer’s successful World Cup campaign in Russia, Barkley added: “It was frustrating for me because England means the world to me, to play for your country, but these things happen in football and you have to react and work hard to get your rewards, which I am doing.

“I was proud to see the lads do really well and see how proud the country was of the boys. I had had a difficult season through injuries.”