Ross Barkley: Profiling Chelsea’s £15 million signing from Everton

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Chelsea have made their first move of the January transfer window as they confirmed the arrival of Ross Barkley from Everton. The Blues have signed the England international for £15 million, which is a bargain price for a player with the quality that the midfielder possesses. He was in the final year of his contract at Goodison Park and that forced the club into a corner. Antonio Conte has bemoaned his lack of backing in the transfer market since winning the title, but this is a very shrewd deal from the club, as there is little risk at the transfer fee paid.

The Blues have been long-time admirers of the midfielder and came close to signing him in the summer. However, Sky Sports reported at the time that the player snubbed a transfer, despite a fee of £35 million being agreed between the two clubs. In the end, that decision from Barkley was a blessing in disguise as Chelsea have been able to save £20 million. There were reports after the closing of the summer transfer window, it was reported that the 24-year-old wanted a move to Tottenham, which caused his rejection of Chelsea.

It is difficult to believe anything you read regarding transfers, as every source has different information on a deal. Barkley knew he wouldn’t be able to play for the first half of the season due to injury and he may have wanted time to consider his next move. The fact that this deal has been completed so quickly suggests that the midfielder is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge and his comments reported by BBC Sport reflect that:

“To be given a fresh start at a new club like Chelsea, it’s unbelievable for me,”

His new manager Antonio Conte had this to say on his team’s new signing:

“He’s very young and has a lot of space for improvement,”

“He’s a good prospect but at the same time, it will be very important to understand, if the player signs, we must have patience to help him recover.”

After not playing for the first half of the season and a longer period of stagnation at Everton, it was important for Barkley to get a fresh start. It would have done him little good to stay at Goodison Park for the rest of the season ahead of the World Cup as he wouldn’t have been motivated to play for the Toffees. A transfer to a top six clubs increases the pressure on him and it is now up to him to prove that he belongs at the highest level, as there will be many doubting his ability.

Where does he fit in at Chelsea?

Antonio Conte has implemented a very successful 3-4-3 formation at Stamford Bridge, but there have been problems to emerge from it this season. There has been a lack of drive from the middle of the park, which hinders their attack, as the front three get little support centrally. Too often, Eden Hazard has to drop deeper to influence the game and that is not good. Tieumoue Bakayoko was supposed to be the engine of the midfield this season, but he has struggled to find his best form since arriving from Monaco.

As Conte alludes to in his comments after the signing, Chelsea will need to be patient with Barkley as he recovers from injury, but there will be hope that the Englishman can add drive to their midfield. The 24-year-old will need time to develop a tactical understanding, but he will benefit from working with a world-class coach like the Blues’ boss. Although he has yet to fulfil his potential, he hasn’t worked with one of the very best before and he could be a player that improves quickly at his new club.

There was a lot of expectation on Ross Barkley at a young age and he sometimes struggled to live up to the billing he received as a teenager. He ends his Everton career with 150 Premier League matches to his name. The total of 21 goals and 18 assists is slightly underwhelming for a player of his quality. If he is to succeed at Chelsea, he is going to have to improve both his decision making and consistency in the final third.

Last season, there was the reason to believe that Barkley was making steps in the right direction at Goodison Park, as he was averaging 2.73 shots and 2.61 chances created per ninety minutes. He was a central figure in the Toffees’ attack and although it isn’t often talked about, his absence has been felt as well as Romelu Lukaku’s. The midfielder was excellent at picking up the ball in his own half and carrying it long distances, averaging 1.7 dribbles per game.

Chelsea need to improve in transition and the signing of Barkley is designed to do that. Ngolo Kante can do the defensive work of two players and that will provide a platform for the new signing. The former Everton man will have to contribute off the ball and assist in the middle of the park, but his main responsibility will be turning defence from attack quickly. Too often this season, the Blues have been slow to get out and have allowed opposing teams to pack their own half. They need dynamism deeper in the phase of play. Conte is a very intelligent manager and every signing is tailored to what his side needs. This is another example of that.

Ross Barkley is far from a no-risk signing, but the fee has made it too good to turn down for Chelsea as they look to add quality and depth to their squad during the current transfer window. Another benefit of signing the 24-year-old is that he will be available to play in the Champions League. He adds something different to the squad and there is an opportunity to develop him into exactly what the club need. For the player himself, it is a chance to prove himself at the highest level and he has been waiting for that for quite some time.