Pochettino watching Barkley situation

TRANSFER TALK

Tottenham are monitoring the position of Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, as are all the major premier League clubs. Everton wants to tie him down to a new 4-year deal, which he is reported as being in no rush to sign.

One suspects he will want to see how the season starts to pan out, what difference a new investor has, how the manager can progress the club and his own position within the squad. His current deal ends in 2018 so he will be available cheaply next summer, a situation Everton would want to avoid. Moving into the final year of his contract Everton would face the prospect of losing him for nothing so may be forced into letting him go at the end of the season.

He was hugely disappointed to be left out of the England squad but he didn't have a particularly good game against Stoke City when new boss Sam Allardyce went to see him. Ronald Koeman has told him it's his own fault, he ha to look at his own game and make improvements in the areas he identifies. That is part and parcel of having a winning mentality, you don't blame others, you just improve yourself and force the boss to select you.

I wrote after 7 games asking what Ross Barkley did that Dele Alli doesn't already do. He burst on the scene and doesn't seem to have pushed on, yes he plays each week but has he really improved. H isn't a standout performer in the Premier League now just a decent player, but at 22 he still has time, if he has the right mentality to buckle down and improve.

For now it is just a watching brief.

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