Ross Barkley has become a free agent after terminating his Chelsea contract by mutual consent.
The 28-year-old had one year remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge but has been looking for a move away all summer after falling down the pecking order under Thomas Tuchel. The former England international spent the 2020/2021 campaign on loan at Aston Villa, but managed just 179 minutes for Chelsea in the Premier League last season - the equivalent of less than two games.
With no place in Tuchel’s plans for the upcoming season, he and new owner Todd Boehly were keen to offload the attacking midfielder but have failed to find a suitor with the window closing on Thursday. And with a reported wage of around £200,000-per-week, those in charge at Stamford Bridge have decided to pay up a year early.
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A Chelsea club statement read: "Barkley played a part in our run to the 2020 FA Cup final, scoring against both Liverpool and Leicester. He was brought on for the closing stages of the defeat to Arsenal, as he was in the Wembley showpiece this year, converting a penalty in the shoot-out loss to Liverpool. He did get a winner’s medal in that competition in 2018.
'Barkley’s final game was against Watford in May, and it was his late header that secured all three points in our last game of the season.
"We would like to thank Ross for his contribution to Chelsea and wish him well for the rest of his career."
Scottish side Rangers are looking at bringing the former Toffees star across the border, and a return to Goodison Park had been tentatively linked earlier this summer - although such a move always seemed unlikely.
Barkley joined Everton aged 11 and made his first-team debut as a teenager under David Moyes, going on to play 127 times for the Toffees and shoot to prominence as one of England’s most promising young players. He moved to Chelsea in 2018 for £15million.
He quickly impressed at Chelsea and racked up more than 30 appearances in both the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 campaigns, but has quickly fallen out of favour under German boss Tuchel. The Blues are attempting to offload several fringe players to open up funds for their continued summer spending.
The London club have already had two bids worth up to £45million turned down for another boyhood Evertonian in Anthony Gordon, with reports of a £60million currently being prepared. Everton remain insistent on not losing another young local star to the financially superior Chelsea.
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