Tottenham back out of Ross Barkley deal thanks to Dele Alli’s form leaving Everton man stuck at Goodison Park
Ronald Koeman won't play the 23-year-old midfielder while he stools on a new contract with just 12 months left
TOTTENHAM have walked away from signing Ross Barkley and look set to leave the England exile stuck at Everton, thanks to Dele Alli’s brilliant form, according to reports.
The Toffees playmaker has just 12 months left on his contract and struggled to get in Ronald Koeman’s team last season, with his form and status dipping due to the impasse.
Spurs were monitoring the awkward situation – hoping to grab a homegrown bargain – but, according to they have been put off by Barkley’s dip while their own Three Lions No10 reaches for the sky.
Barkley, 23, burst onto the Goodison Park scene six years ago – tipped to be the latest Merseyside superstar since Wayne Rooney.
The midfielder’s natural talent has been obvious in a handful of games but his discipline, final ball and goals record come under regular scrutiny from pundits who see him getting carried by team-mates.
Alli, in contrast, has been a revelation with the sort of all-action displays, dominant performances, assists and goals Barkley’s breakthrough form emptily promised.
Koeman has already spent £23.6million on Dutch playmaker Davy Klaassen who scored 14 league goals from midfield last season, compared to Barkley’s five.
most read in football
Adding to Barkley’s woes is Koeman’s unwavering desire to add Swansea star Gylfi Sigurdsson whose goals’ assists and set-pieces have kept Swansea in the Premier League for the last two seasons.
An Everton midfield with the Iceland hero, Klaassen, Tom Davis and a fit-again Yannick Bolasie to choose from would leave Barkley even further out in the cold and out of England consideration.
Sam Allardyce blanked the 23-year-old suring his short reign and Gareth Southgate is yet to offer him a route back.
Barkley has not kicked a ball for the Three Lions for almost two years, his last appearance in October 2015 when he scored the opener against Lithuania.