Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has been linked with a host of Premier League sides this summer, as his future at Goodison Park grows increasingly uncertain.
The 23-year-old has remained reluctant to sign a new deal with the Merseyside club, with just one year left to run on his current deal.
Barkley has been an important player for the club, but Everton manager Ronald Koeman is fast losing patience with the player, having demanded he commit his future to the club.
But as the clock ticks down until the start of the summer transfer window, it looks increasingly likely that Koeman will severe Everton’s ties with Barkley, provided they are given a reasonable offer.
The Daily Star have claimed that West Ham are the latest of Everton’s Premier League rivals to have joined the race for Barkley’s signature this summer, with Tottenham and Manchester United already keen.
However, while there is no denying that Barkley has talent, there is only one possible destination that can grant him regular first-team opportunities – and that is West Ham.
He may be holding out for a move to one of the Premier League’s big guns, like a Chelsea or a Manchester City, but realistically, Barkley is only going to see his opportunities depleted by seeking an exit from his current club.
Manchester United could well spend £50million on a new midfielder – but that is not likely to be Barkley – and even if he did move to Old Trafford, he would find himself behind the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan , Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, the pecking order in his preferred role.
As for Tottenham, the sheer quality of attacking-midfield trio Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Son Heung-Min last season suggests that Barkley would also find it very difficult to break into the starting eleven under Mauricio Pochettino.
Barkley can also be deployed in wide or central-midfield roles, but aside from attacking-midfield being his most effective position, Tottenham already have a formidable partnership between Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele.
Eric Dier and Harry Winks are next in line, and then you’d perhaps have Barkley.
For West Ham, Manuel Lanzini is the most creative outlet within their attacking ranks, but they lack in other qualities in the central areas.
Andre Ayew and Sofiane Feghouli were often deployed in central roles last term, but to little effect, and that would be the only real avenue of entry for Everton’s Barkley.
However, a move to the Hammers simply isn’t really a realistic option for the England international, which all but rules out his ‘best available’ option.
There could still be a way back for him at Everton, so long as he puts pen-to-paper on a new deal, but until that happens, it is difficult to see where Barkley can find himself regular opportunities.