Everton manager Roberto Martinez has claimed even a Gareth Bale sized bid wouldn’t be enough to take Ross Barkley away from Goodison Park this January.
Barkley has shone under the former Wigan manager, with his late freekick winner against Swansea this weekend further raising his profile.
Long linked with Manchester United, the 19 year old is one of English football’s hottest commodities but Martinez is determined to hold onto the starlet even if it means turning down a record fee:
‘Ross is in a moment of his career where, first, he knows that he needs to carry on developing and this is the perfect place to do that,’ Martinez stressed.
‘Second, he is a mad Evertonian and enjoying every single second. And third, we are in the middle of a season where we would never, ever consider disrupting what we have got in our squad now.
‘It is not the right time for the player or the club to consider anything. Even if we got a Gareth Bale-size valuation we would never even consider it in January. If we were facing a financial disaster, I would be telling you, “Look, we are in the lap of the gods”. But we are not in that situation at all
‘We are probably in the strongest financial position we have been for a long, long time. All we are going to make is football decisions. Ross is an icon for us.
‘He represents everything we are trying to do this season, so even if a stupid offer arrived in January it would never, never affect us. It is important for us as a football club to show we are making the right football decisions.’
For all the bluster and bravado of Martinez’s words it’s hard to believe him.
During the summer when trying to rebuff United’s attempts to sign Baines and Fellaini one got the impression that the right fee would have seen both become United players.
I think the same goes for Barkley and it wouldn’t take a ‘Gareth Bale sized valuation’ either.
‘It is not the right time for the player or the club to consider anything.’
With their season going the way it is, they are under no pressure to sell in January and Barkley will likely want to see out what has been an impressive season for the side.
But if they fail to make the Champions League, in a season that has handed them their best shot at doing so, then they may now find it hard to hold on to the midfielder and perhaps it is at that point that Moyes should test Martinez, and Barkley, with a bid.
Ha Ha Ha…your arrogance is matched only by your sense of entitlement! Your club spent 2 years trying to get Baines, paid 4 million over the odds for Fellaini..were turned down numerous times by Everton for baines this summer and Everton 2013 are a lifetime away from the club Rooney left.
I’d be more concerned with holding on to Rooney RVP and the others before coveteous glances at clubs bringing their own talent throgh
You are quite right fab four fan,we have no given right to buy other teams talent.Everton should hang on to the players they have to reach the next level and this season they look one of the best teams this season and they do not need to sell anymore.Notes got you to close to that level with consistency but Martinez has put that fizz in the team.Martinez also bought from his old club Wigan so you can’t knock Moyes for trying ! Have a great season and best wishes.
Quality response…. I notice that most united fans know their stuff and can talk sense…it’s refreshing to see. All the best and good luck to Moysie but not at our expense!!!
Forget Barkley great player that he could become.We have our own young players coming through in Powell,Lingard,Pereira,Cole,the Keane brothers,Thorpe,James Wilson and many others.Don’t forget it was David Moyes who bought and developed the majority of the Everton team and gave Rooney his chance.We need patience in this transition.How many other teams have so many English players coming through.Just look at the team sheets on match day and spot the British player….not many.Martinez will hold us to ransom to buy a talent we may already have.
Deluded fool.
Don’t forget that it was Moyes that ruined Barkleys confidence by focussing too much on the poorer sides to his game, which by the way fade into insignificance when you see all the positives brought out by Martinez.
Why would Barkley want to work with Moyes again?
Jesus! Do we need to shoot you in the head before you’ll get the message!? Barclay is not for sale. Can’t say it any clearer. Like Moyes said about Rooney. NOT FOR SALE. And if he was, you couldn’t afford him any more, especially not with Moyes offering 15 bob and a snog with his daughter.
Martinez conned you into taking Fellaini knowing he was wanted to bring in McCarthy. Your team is on the slide so whilst Everton is on the up so why on earth would he want to join you? Besides you won’t even make champions league this season either
Ross Barkley is the new Zidane, Moyes wouldnt recognise talent if it bit him on his arse,
thats why you got mugged for fellaini.
As for Ross, its a well known fact on merseyside, he cant stand Moyes.
So even if you could afford him, he wouldnt come anyway,
He will play in the CL for Everton,
You can watch and drool …
Merry Blue Christmas
What idiotic deluded bunch of So called Everton fans you lot are.And Sooooo full of trophyless envy! So do you honestly believe that Martinez wouldnt jump at the United job if moyes got the sack? Your not even Liverpools biggest Game!!United dont Need Barkley,but if they bid.He will come and you lot know it!!
You’re not actually addressing anything here. All you’re doing is trying to insult Everton fans. Nobody mentioned Martinez taking the united job. Nobody mentioned trophies.
United would be vastly improved with Barkley. He is a blue, dislikes Moyes and he wants to play in the Champions League. He has a better chance of doing that with Everton than with United, clearly, because you’re on the decline with Moyes.
Ceeb… Hard as it may be to believe but I remember the many many years that United went without the league…. And at the same time Liverpool were serial winners… Football is cyclical or rather it was before Sky’s billions unlevelled the playing field… Its not trophy envy it is frustration at unearthing jewels and then watching the media trying to flog them…. United are a class act and always have been…..and after all even you had to sell Ronaldo….always bigger fish….
United have no chance of signing Barkley while moyes is yr gaffer!! They privately fell out over Moyes loaning him out twice !!
Hi Jeffa,
Ross Barkley: ‘I owe (Moyes) everything. He brought me on as a player and looked after me when I had broken my leg.’
Merry Xmas
Hey Chudi,
Moyes (in reference to selling Lescott): “Everton don’t sell cheaply.” “The way it has been handled is disgusting and all it has done is disrupted our club.”
He then went and offered “derisory “£28m joint offer to Everton for Fellaini and Baines.
People can say one thing and mean another.
Merry Christmas
I’m not going to start slagging off Utd,as I don’t mind them,but I do think their fans can be arrogant.The days when Utd clicked their fingers and players come running are gone (last summers failure in the transfer market proved that). If Barkley does fulfil his potential,and Everton don’t meet his expectations,then there’s going to be a queue of clubs wanting his services,who have far deeper pockets than Utd.
Can’t shee Moyesh being intereshted in Barkley – he wouldn’t want to hold back Rossh’s career through injury by deliberately over-training him.
I doubt he will go anywhere for 18 months. If Everton can grow and give him a platform of regular top level football he has no reason to agitate for a move.
‘Little old Everton’ are moving in the right direction, and not even the tempting offer of a swap deal with Tom Cleverly (!!!!) will tempt Everton to let him go.
Evertons problem is higher up that Barkley, always only a couple of key injuries away from collapse due to not having any money to build a squad of able bodied players to fill in when needed.
If they get CL football it’s surely Kenwrights best chance to sell and let them grow without the current restrictions they work under.