One fringe player at Stamford Bridge whose future hangs right in the balance beyond the recently concluded transfer window is Ross Barkley.
With players not averse to sealing moves abroad, it is surprising to many that Barkley, an outcast at the Bridge, did not end up leaving the Blues to sign for a club in American or Iran soccer divisions.
The former Everton man now has an uncertain stint awaiting him in the Chelsea colours with Barkley nowhere near the first-team plans of the boss Thomas Tuchel who was open to letting the player leave this summer as he sought a move for Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on deadline day.
Reports from The Athletic claim that Barkley who once enjoyed a prosperous career on both the club and country front has a stumbling block in from of his wage demands which run north of £100,000-a-week putting suitors Burnley off in extending a formal approach for landing his signature.
Barkley was on loan at Aston Villa for the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign and despite a promising start to life at Villa Park, he failed to cement a regular role on the teamsheet for Dean Smith’s men.
