Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson contacts police over ‘fraud’ in Ross Barkley’s £15m transfer to Chelsea
Anderson is a big Everton fan, and previously called for an investigation to be carried out as the fee was too low
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MAYOR of Liverpool Joe Anderson has reportedly contacted the police to investigate "whether any fraud has taken place" over Ross Barkley's £15m transfer to Chelsea.
One of the first deals done when the January transfer window opened was the 24-year-old midfielder cutting his ties with Everton and moving down south.
Anderson, who is a big Toffees fan, immediately called for an investigation as to why the fee was so low for a player who was the subject of a £35m bid from the Blues in the summer.
Now the Liverpool Echo reports that Anderson is "so concerned" with the transfer that he has "contacted the relevant policing authorities".
The 59-year-old claims that the disparity in the transfer fee projected from the summer to now is suspicious.
Barkley was on his way to Chelsea on deadline day in the summer for a reported fee of £35million, when his agent pulled out at the last minute.
Today, he competed the switch to London for around £15million - a difference of around about £20million.
Considering Barkley hasn't played for Everton all season apparently through injury, Anderson infers that the delay in transfer could have been on purpose.
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The reason behind that could possibly be justifying a lower price tag for the Blues, as his injury would lower value.
Writing on his Twitter account, Anderson said: "I will be writing to .@premierleague & .@FA calling for investigation into the circumstances around the transfer of Ross Barkley between Everton and Chelsea.
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"Agent pulls transfer on deadline day of £35 million doesn’t play again transfer 4 months later £20 million."
Barkley has been at Everton for his whole career, joining the Toffees as an 11-year-old and rising through the academy.
He's enjoyed a successful spell at Goodison Park, but relationships soured last season and Barkley demanded a move away - a wish which has finally been granted for the 24-year-old.