Should Everton's Ross Barkley Wait Before Moving to an Elite Club?
As arguably the most coveted young central midfielder in England, Everton's Ross Barkley has been incessantly linked with moves away from Goodison Park for the better part of two seasons.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and even Merseyside rivals Liverpool have seen their names married with the 21-year-old midfielder since last summer, as exemplified by the Daily Star's Jack Wilson.
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The reasoning therein is sound: Barkley looks a magnificent talent.
A tall, technically gifted "No. 10," the English international appears poised to have a terrific top-flight career. There is no surprise England's elite are salivating for Everton's homegrown starlet, with foreign-player quotas primed to become more punitive.
Amassing 87 senior appearances for the Toffees, Barkley's education is advanced. At 21 years old, he is an established member of Roberto Martinez's side; despite a knee ligament injury (which caused him to miss 10 games) Barkley has started 24 matches in 2014/15.
It would seem the midfielder has found a wonderful environment to develop his football. Surrounded by other young talents like John Stones (20) and Romelu Lukaku (21), Everton possess a promising, youthful spine to build upon—where Barkley would serve as the primary midfield option.
Why Everton would want to disrupt their project before it takes flight is mysterious—but Barkley has responsibility as well.
Though one of the best teams in England's storied footballing history, the Toffees are not viewed as an outright juggernaut in a contemporary context. Should Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool tempt both Everton and Barkley with millions of pounds and thousands per week respectively, there is every chance of a divorce.
For his prolonged benefit, however, Barkley should see out the three years remaining on his contract, then explore potential possibilities.
Though his talent has placed him on many radars, the 21-year-old is yet to have a breakout season. In his 87 appearances, Barkley is directly responsible for 16 goals (nine scored, seven assisted).
For a central-attacking midfielder, these numbers must improve to warrant the hefty £50 million price tag Everton have placed on their starlet, as noted by Rob Burnett of the Daily Mirror.
One should not pay £50 million for "talent" or "potential," one pays £50 million for a guaranteed commodity (Fernando Torres, Roman Abramovich and Chelsea Football Club excluded); while he could be, Barkley is not yet proven. Overcoming injury and having just two Premier League seasons under his belt, why anyone would pay £50 million for the Merseyside Blue is a mystery.
This alleged fee is a marker by Everton. They likely have no intention of selling Barkley, and are requesting a ludicrous amount in hopes of keeping the ever-hungry talent sharks at bay. That said, with new money coming into the Premier League, and desperate clubs seeking young stars, one may find a few clubs crazy enough to take the plunge.
Barkley should not take the bait.
Moving to a "big club" carries different responsibility. Champions League football, the expectation to win every match, the weight of your price tag and the pressure of supporters who know your exorbitant weekly wages are all factors. For an unprepared 21-year-old, that gauntlet could irreparably stunt his growth.
Can Barkley handle the pressure? Only he has a clue, but the safest play would be staying with Everton, establishing himself as a clear-cut Premier League superstar, then seeking greener pastures elsewhere—possibly three seasons from now.
Jumping ship prematurely can only hurt his cause, while staying a bit longer can only help.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
