Chelsea legend Dennis Wise has heaped praise on midfielder Ross Barkley and has backed him to work his way back into the senior fold after making the most of his opportunities under new boss Maurizio Sarri.
The 24-year-old – who is on £90,000-per-week [Spotrac] – has started all seven matches since Sarri took up the helm at Stamford Bridge, and Wise believes Barkley will only improve after a bad spell under former boss Antonio Conte.
“There’s a big possibility and I think Ross Barkley can come into the fold here. He has been given an opportunity under Maurizio. When you have got a new manager coming in you look at things and think, ‘right okay there’s a level playing field there’,” the former Premier League star told Goal.
“I think he will get an opportunity under Maurizio because he will leave it a little bit open and he is capable. He is a talent. He has had a little bit of a bad spell but hopefully he has come through it and he has got ability. He is the type of player that can open people up. There’s places up for grabs and it is up to people to grab those places.”
OPINION
Wise is definitely right to back Barkley, because he definitely has the ability to thrive in the first team fold at Chelsea. Since his arrival in January, Conte only gave him two starts in the Premier League, and did not really give him the opportunity to demonstrate his ability. However, things are starting to look up under the new manager, who seems keen to give Barkley the chances that he was not awarded with last season. It was rather bizarre when Chelsea brought in Barkley, especially as they have the likes of Eden Hazard and Willian as their two main attacking midfielders – but Sarri looks like he wants to utilise the former Everton man this season. As he showed at his previous club, he is capable of opening up defences with ease, and Chelsea fans will undoubtedly have their fingers crossed that he can do that for them this term.