Alan Stubbs has claimed that Everton ace Ross Barkley is heading for the exit door this summer and he would probably pick Arsenal over Tottenham if he were to move.
The talkSPORT pundit believes he would make a switch to Arsene Wenger’s side because at White Hart Lane he would not get ahead of midfielder Dele Alli in the starting XI.
Stubbs pointed at the fact that the duo play in the same positions for their respective teams but Alli is currently ahead of his England counterpart.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman issued an ultimatum to Barkley in May where he told him that he has one week to sign a new contract.
The 23-year-old has failed to put pen-to-paper on a new deal and Koeman has since added Ajax playmaker Davy Klaassen to his ranks following his move on Thursday.
As a result, Stubbs believes Barkley’s future at Goodison Park is now coming to an end and he explained why he might pick Arsenal over Tottenham if he were to have the option to choose.
“I think Ronald put his cards on the table with Ross before the end of the season and he gave him an ultimatum,” Stubbs told Alan Brazil’s breakfast show on talkSPORT.
“The fact that we are three weeks gone, and Ross hasn’t signed, then I think that’s the biggest indicator that Ross’ future is going to lie elsewhere.
“The one thing that he [Koeman] said towards the end is that he wanted more creativity in the team and I think, with Klaassen, he’s certainly got that – his record is very good and he’s a great age
“Looking at those teams I think Arsenal are probably a team that he could go to. With Tottenham, you have got Dele Alli in a similar position and, looking at Dele, he is ahead of Ross at this moment in time.
“So it’s looking like he’s going to be heading to London – we just have to wait and find out what club it is.”
During the recently concluded season, Barkley found the back of the net on five occasions added with his nine assists in the Premier League.
By contrast, attacking midfielder Alli, who was crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year for the second season running, scored 18 league goals from the middle of the park and supplied nine assists.