Premier League Champions Chelsea plan to arrange talks with Merseyside club Everton over Ross Barkley, following their English Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and have been encouraged by the latest news that Arsenal forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has rejected the Gunners latest contract offer.
Barkley, along with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater, are the England trio that Chelsea want to lure to Stamford Bridge before the summer transfer window slams shut on Thursday.
North London club Tottenham Hotspur are favourites to secure the services of Barkley, but the Blues are not letting go without a fight and, since there are no notable developments beforehand, Sunday gives a perfect chance to further up their interest.
Farhad Moshiri – Everton Owner – watched last season’s defeat at Stamford Bridge and he and club chairman Bill Kenwright both live in the City of London.
Should both top executive attend Sunday’s match at West London, the Blues will have the best opportunity to open talks with Everton Chiefs and make life hard for Spurs in their effort to sign Barkley.
The North Londoners are ready to part ways with £20million, plus £8million in add-ons, for the player despite being out for about three months after tearing his hamstring.
But the Blues are set to battle for the midfielder, believing he could end up being the best buy of the summer transfer window.
