Ally McCoist reckons Rangers-linked Ross Barkley stands at a "massive, massive crossroads" following his release from Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge club cut their losses on the 28-year-old England international midfielder on Monday after four-and-a-half years in London. Barkley, a £15million signing from Everton in 2018, has since spent time on-loan at Aston Villa but his career has largely stuttered since leaving Goodison Park as one of the Premier League's top prospects.
It's been claimed Rangers are "looking into" a deal for Barkley as the transfer deadline looms later this week, while he was also touted as a potential target for Celtic earlier in the summer. It's believed Ibrox boss Gio van Bronckhorst does have a midfielder on his radar after interest in Standard Liege's Nicolas Raskin, who looks to be staying put. Barkley's wages could also be a deterring factor amid reports he earned a staggering £200,000-a-week package with the Blues.
Rangers legend McCoist has been baffled by his downturn in recent years, likening his situation to that of Dele Alli after he left Everton for Besiktas, and insists his next move is hugely important. McCoist told talkSPORT: "Clearly, Thomas Tuchel has indicated he has absolutely no future at Chelsea. He had a period at Aston Villa on-loan... (sighs) it's a Dele Alli situation, there's similarities.
"Both are fantastically talented players, I just think they've lost their way a bit and are not able to maintain and hold down a first-team place at the top clubs any more, for whatever reason. Well, the reason being their coaches don't see it fit enough for them to get a consistent run in the team.
"Barkley, very much like Dele Alli, is at a massive, massive crossroads. He's 28, I didn't know he had 33 England caps."
