Chelsea make Ross Barkley bid as they try and land wantaway Everton star for £20m
Premier League champions lost out on the Toffees ace on transfer deadline day last August despite agreeing £35m fee with his club
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CHELSEA have made a fresh bid to finally land Ross Barkley.
The Premier League champions lost out on the Everton midfielder on transfer deadline day last August despite agreeing a £35million fee with his club.
They are now trying to negotiate a lower price of around £20m because Barkley’s contract expires at the end of this season and he will be able to walk away from the club for nothing on a Bosman free transfer.
Barkley, 24, is yet to play a game this season because of a troublesome hamstring injury but that hasn’t stopped Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.
The player was forced to deny speculation that he even went as far as travelling to Chelsea for a medical only to change his mind at the last minute.
Barkley said he wanted to get fit and then reassess his future in this transfer window.
Conte wants more players to strengthen what he considers a ‘small’ squad – especially with Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Premier League trophies still technically up for grabs.
The Italian fears his players will be exhausted by the time they face Barcelona next month in the last 16 of the Champions League unless he can buy in extra bodies.
Conte has expressed his opinion to the Chelsea hierarchy and is leaving them to do the negotiations but has been a big fan of Barkley for a long time.
Tottenham have also been linked with the England star but Chelsea have made their move early in the window to try to get a deal done ahead of their rivals.
