Ross Barkley is a target for Manchester City next summer with the champions valuing the midfielder at about €38 million and viewing him as among a select few English homegrown players who could slot instantly into their team. City also hope Joe Hart and James Milner will sign extensions.
City were interested in buying Barkley in the close season but would not countenance paying Everton’s asking price of €64 million. There is a recognition many of Manuel Pellegrini’s squad are at their peak so the need to start building for the future is pressing.
To do so, City require players who are either already established of the quality of Yaya Toure, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Hart, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko, or have the potential to be so, as with Eliaquim Mangala, who is 23 and cost €41 million during the summer.
With the Premier League and Uefa demanding clubs should have eight homegrown footballers in their squads for their respective competitions, City have found it a challenge to find English players of the requisite quality. In recent seasons Adam Johnson, Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair were all bought to fill the berths, while Micah Richards was at the club from a young age. All have left apart from Sinclair.
There is a belief that Barkley is a far better player who can one day replace the 31-year-old Toure, 11 years his senior.
When Pellegrini informed the City hierarchy Barkley was good enough to help the club to win more league titles and to claim a first European Cup, inquiries were made at Everton.
However, despite Everton’s valuation it is believed they will sell next summer with the price thought to be negotiable.
Barkley, who is sidelined because of a knee injury, signed a four-year contract worth about €76,000 a week in July, a deal he was offered by the club as they sought to strengthen their bargaining position.
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed France defender Mathieu Debuchy will be absent for three months after ankle surgery.
Debuchy – signed from Newcastle for €15m in the summer – sustained ankle ligament damage in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City last week and is now not likely to play again until Christmas, with Calum Chambers expected to deputise in his absence.
“He had surgery on Friday and will be out for three months,” said Wenger yesterday.
“A reasonable delay is three months. All went well, but it can be a week or two earlier or a week or two later,” he added. Guardian Service
