Tottenham are in the driving seat to sign Ross Barkley as he prepares to exit Everton this summer, according to the Telegraph.
The newspaper claim Spurs are the favourites to land the playmaker as they name him as one of 30 Premier League players who will not play for their clubs again.
Barkley has one more year remaining on his Everton contract and manager Ronald Koeman issued him with an ultimatum to sign the contract offer on the table before the end of the Premier League season or to leave in the forthcoming window.
Given there has been no indication that Barkley will accept Everton’s offer, it appears inevitable that he will quit for pastures new in the coming months.
The Telegraph report that Tottenham are in pole position to sign the 23-year-old, who has established himself as a key member of the Toffees team since graduating from their academy.
Barkley, who has accumulated 22 England caps, has been publicly criticised by Koeman on a number of occasions this season and was dropped in the first half of the campaign before settling into a regular starting role thereafter.
In 39 appearances in all competitions this season, the attacking midfielder has scored six goals and supplied nine assists.