Barkley for a fee of £15m. The 24 year old joins the Londoners just
few months after he rejected a move to Stamford Bridge on transfer
deadline day in August for a fee of £30m
He becomes Antonio Conte's first January signing as the club goes
about repairing the damage done to the squad in the summer transfer
window.
His signing ends a 13 year association with Everton. A club he joined
at the age of 11. He was in the last six months of his contract before
his arrival at Chelsea.
Speaking of his signing, Conte said
"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."
It doesn't come as a surprise that Antonio Conte mentioned his
recovery. He hasn't played all season, because of a hamstring injury
that required surgery. Its unclear when he would be fit to make his
debut.
Still just 24 years, Ross Barkley has his peak years ahead of him.
However, with the nature of managerial changes at Chelsea, it remains
to be seen whether Antonio Conte stays long enough to improve the grey
areas of his game.
His signing also raises question as to the exact transfer policy of
Chelsea vis-a-vis the players they sent out on loan and those they
bring in as signings. It begs the question whether Rueben Loftus-Cheek
would ever have a future at the Bridge with Ross Barkley's arrival
seeing that they are almost similar players.
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