Ross Barkley deserves another season at Chelsea
Ross Barkley’s Chelsea career can be summed up in one word: underwhelming. However, the 26-year-old deserves at least one more year at Stamford Bridge.
When the Blues bought Barkley from Everton, they knew what they were getting. Barkley is a low-risk, high-reward player with potential, but a lengthy injury history. The midfielder has stayed healthy for the most part, but has failed to replicate his form from his prime days at Everton.
He struggled to find his feet under Maurizio Sarri after a successful year under Antonio Conte, but Barkley still has a lot to offer the Blues in 2020. Barkley showed when healthy under Frank Lampard, he deserves a bit more time to prove himself. However, the Blues can only afford to give Barkley a short time to shine with the emergence of Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount, as well as Ruben Loftus-Cheek finding his fitness.
The England International has tremendous talent, but has seldom lived up to his potential as a chance creator in west London. At Everton, Barkley registered three seasons with five or more goals. In those seasons, he also tacked on nine, eight and two assist Premier League campaigns. When bought by Chelsea, the Blues had hoped Barkley could be the creative No. 10 the Blues had lacked under Conte.
If there’s a manager that is going to get the best out of Barkley, it’s Lampard. The gaffer knows a thing or two about scoring goals from the midfield. Unfortunately for Barkley, he’s struggled a bit this season with injuries. He’s been a part of some massive moments for the Blues this season, but another unlucky break with the Coronavirus stoppage could see his minutes dwindle.
At the top of his game, Barkley is a lethal goalscoring threat out of midfield. The 26-year-old netted five goals across all competitions in 2017/18, tacking on six assists. The potential is there. Barkley’s role in the team going forward could be an important one. His goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup this season displayed how vital Barkley’s presence is in big matches. If nothing else, he’s a solid substitute and mentor for younger players.
If Barkley wants to extend his time at Stamford Bridge though, he has to offer more. With Mason Mount carrying the load in the middle of the pitch, Barkley needs to step up when his name is called.
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Regardless of how the rest of his Chelsea career shapes out, bringing Barkley to Stamford Bridge is going to end up being a wonderful piece of business. Even if the Blues decide to sell the England midfielder in the near future, they’ll almost certainly turn a profit. In the business of football, sometimes that’s all that matters.