Contract talks with Everton ace are planned, insists Koeman

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has revealed the club are set for talks with Ross Barkley about extending his stay at Goodison Park.

Barkley, 23, will have 12 months remaining on his existing deal at the end of the season and his future is still up in the air after a turbulent first campaign under Koeman.

The Everton manager has shown the England international some tough love at times and Barkley was heavily linked with a move away from his boyhood club after he was an unused substitute in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United back in December.

Barkley is still thought to be on the radar of the likes of Tottenham this summer but Koeman insists the club have no intention of letting one of their brightest assets leave and contract talks are planned for the near future.

“Yeah there are talks planned,” Sky Sports quote Koeman as saying. “I don’t think talks have started yet. Those players who finished the contract after one year, he’s one of them and we will do everything to keep Ross and sign a new contract.”

Barkley’s performances have improved massively since the turn of the year and the Koeman appears to be vindicated in his hardline approach to the youngster. In fact, of players that have made at least five league appearances in 2017 only three players have secured a higher WhoScored rating than Barkley (7.69).

For more stats on Ross Barkley, click here to visit his WhoScored player page