Tottenham’s bid to sign Ross Barkley this summer could be given a massive boost in the coming weeks, according to Bleacher Report.
The sports site claim that Barkley could yet end the transfer window at Spurs despite Everton slapping a £50million price tag on their academy product.
Bleacher Report state the England international’s price tag will not only drop from its current figure but could be reduced by more than £20million to “below the £30million mark”.
That would be a price more in the range of Tottenham, whose record signing is the August 2016 capture of Moussa Sissoko for £30million from Newcastle.
Barkley is set for the Goodison Park exit after snubbing Everton’s offer of a new contract, with manager Ronald Koeman making it clear that the player will not be part of the first-team reckoning while his future is up in the air.
The 22-year-old was omitted from Everton’s travelling party that jetted to Tanzania for their pre-season friendly against Gor Mahia, fuelling rumours of a potential exit.
But Koeman claimed the midfielder did not travel with the squad due to a groin injury.
“At the moment it is not a clear situation,” Koeman said. “He is not fit, that’s the reason he didn’t travel with the team.
“We will see when he is fit and back, but everybody knows his situation, and we will see what will happen.”
Barkley, who has accumulated 22 international caps, has scored 28 goals and supplied 29 assists for Everton from 179 appearances in all competitions since graduating from their youth ranks.
Tottenham are the only Premier League club not to make any signings this summer although they have been linked with a number of possible new recruits as they aim to build upon their second place finish of last season.