Ross Barkley

[sam-caddick]

He has one assist in 66 premier league games, that is genuinely pathetic for anyone, yet alone an attacking midfielder. I don't see any reason to spend big money on him when we already have Rony Lopes for that position.

I agree.

I do think Barkley will end up a central midfielder rather than a number ten though as I don't think his end product is that of a modern number ten like a Silva or even Lopes.

When I watched him play central midfield against QPR that brought out his best qualities in that he was running at the opposition from deep midfield, spraying balls out wide and offering the occasional interception.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

He has everything in his game to become a major star for us.

Barkley is a kid, and would be a tremendous asset. Give him a break, and City, for that matter.

We don't sign young players, we get slagged off.

We don't sign British talent, we get slagged off.

Some people really need to watch the game a little closer, rather than wanting the shiniest toy to brag about.

Tell me again, where's Gourcuff, where's Diego, where's Queresma, all names I have seen down the years on here.

He has been hung out to dry this season by a manager who stated he would become the greatest English player EVER. Think about that for a second.

Martinez has stuck him out on the wing, played him too quickly after injuries, playing in a team running on empty due to Europa League participation, coupled with a key injury to McCarthy and the continued downgrade of Barry.

If we think he is too expensive, we will walk away, as we have done with every other target.

He's a capable squad player right now who might just become a major star. Even the great Iniesta stated recently that Barkley is one of the few English players who could play at Barcelona.

We've forgotten what the transfer landscape looks like these days, having been forced to cut our cloth.

£20m doesn't buy elite, it buys you a certain tier of performer who can still hold their own - we need that.

I agree with some of the posts on here, £20m is a reasonable price if we include future add-ons.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

He has everything in his game to become a major star for us.

Barkley is a kid, and would be a tremendous asset. Give him a break, and City, for that matter.

We don't sign young players, we get slagged off.

We don't sign British talent, we get slagged off.

Some people really need to watch the game a little closer, rather than wanting the shiniest toy to brag about.

Tell me again, where's Gourcuff, where's Diego, where's Queresma, all names I have seen down the years on here.

He has been hung out to dry this season by a manager who stated he would become the greatest English player EVER. Think about that for a second.

Martinez has stuck him out on the wing, played him too quickly after injuries, playing in a team running on empty due to Europa League participation, coupled with a key injury to McCarthy and the continued downgrade of Barry.

If we think he is too expensive, we will walk away, as we have done with every other target.

He's a capable squad player right now who might just become a major star. Even the great Iniesta stated recently that Barkley is one of the few English players who could play at Barcelona.

We've forgotten what the transfer landscape looks like these days, having been forced to cut our cloth.

£20m doesn't buy elite, it buys you a certain tier of performer who can still hold their own - we need that.

I agree with some of the posts on here, £20m is a reasonable price if we include future add-ons.

No doubt if we want him he will cost a bit more than £20m even allowing for add-ons simply because he's English and we will be short without Milner and Lampard.

He is a player who could go either way. He could become the next Rodwell, a talented player who will never quite get fulfill his potential. Or he could equally if developed properly (both by himself and his club) become another Lampard.

I can understand how anyone would baulk at £45m for a kid who has had one good season. But at £25m plus add-ons it could really pay off.

 

[Lomas has a lob on]

The potential signing of Barkley intrigues me.

He has had a poor season but so have Everton in general.
I heard Alan Stubbs being interviewed yesterday, who was a coach at Everton until last year and a good point he raised that doesn't get mentioned is just how much Barkley has had to contend with regarding injuries. Apparently he has done his cruciate, suffered a broken leg and another serious injury which I forget. These injuries all happened from the age of 16 to 19. So fair play to the lad for recovering from all of them and going on to become a premier league player.

My opinion may be a bit naïve, but I think Barkley would simply improve no end working with the likes of Silva, Nasri, Toure and Aguero on a daily basis.

I'm really excited by the possibility of signing Barkley, the biggest challenge is for the manager to use him correctly, both positionally and ensuring he is getting enough game time.

It's important people don't compare this potential signing to the likes of the Rodwell and Sinclair signings. Barkley could and I stress COULD be special but we'll only find that out if we sign him.

 

[moomba]

Not too bothered about his form this year. And am not expecting he'll be at his peak for another 3-4. Rather buy him now and get him to reach his peak with us, than wait and pay 5 times the price.

 

[Matt the Giant]

And the thing is, we can't base a purchase of him on the argument he'll possibly develop into one of the best British midfielders there is, as there is no chance in hell he'll get the required game time here with us to develop that potential.
At a low cost, fine... but that's not very likely is it?

As we need homegrown players, we should go after the likes of Sterling (who would actually make our starting XI better), Stone, Clyne.

Or we should give our very own Lopes and Denayer a chance to prove themselves instead of spending £60m on Sterling and Stones? We have a hole in central midfield that money could be far better spent on a WC player for.

Ideally yes, but in terms of new HG signings, IF we go down that route I'd aim for the players I mentioned.

 

[g180aj]

He has everything in his game to become a major star for us.

Barkley is a kid, and would be a tremendous asset. Give him a break, and City, for that matter.

We don't sign young players, we get slagged off.

We don't sign British talent, we get slagged off.

Some people really need to watch the game a little closer, rather than wanting the shiniest toy to brag about.

Tell me again, where's Gourcuff, where's Diego, where's Queresma, all names I have seen down the years on here.

He has been hung out to dry this season by a manager who stated he would become the greatest English player EVER. Think about that for a second.

Martinez has stuck him out on the wing, played him too quickly after injuries, playing in a team running on empty due to Europa League participation, coupled with a key injury to McCarthy and the continued downgrade of Barry.

If we think he is too expensive, we will walk away, as we have done with every other target.

He's a capable squad player right now who might just become a major star. Even the great Iniesta stated recently that Barkley is one of the few English players who could play at Barcelona.

We've forgotten what the transfer landscape looks like these days, having been forced to cut our cloth.

£20m doesn't buy elite, it buys you a certain tier of performer who can still hold their own - we need that.

I agree with some of the posts on here, £20m is a reasonable price if we include future add-ons.

A bit of sense in the midst of all the flappers.

 

[aguero93:20]

He has everything in his game to become a major star for us.

Barkley is a kid, and would be a tremendous asset. Give him a break, and City, for that matter.

We don't sign young players, we get slagged off.

We don't sign British talent, we get slagged off.

Some people really need to watch the game a little closer, rather than wanting the shiniest toy to brag about.

Tell me again, where's Gourcuff, where's Diego, where's Queresma, all names I have seen down the years on here.

He has been hung out to dry this season by a manager who stated he would become the greatest English player EVER. Think about that for a second.

Martinez has stuck him out on the wing, played him too quickly after injuries, playing in a team running on empty due to Europa League participation, coupled with a key injury to McCarthy and the continued downgrade of Barry.

If we think he is too expensive, we will walk away, as we have done with every other target.

He's a capable squad player right now who might just become a major star. Even the great Iniesta stated recently that Barkley is one of the few English players who could play at Barcelona.

We've forgotten what the transfer landscape looks like these days, having been forced to cut our cloth.

£20m doesn't buy elite, it buys you a certain tier of performer who can still hold their own - we need that.

I agree with some of the posts on here, £20m is a reasonable price if we include future add-ons.

A bit of sense in the midst of all the flappers.

It's not flapping to think we have a superior player already in Marco Lopes and buying Barkley to play ahead of him would be absolutely stupid.

 

[sam-caddick]

If he is played as a central midfielder and help him develop there he could be something special in a few years.

I don't think he is an attacking midfielder/ number ten, his strengths are running at the opposition, spraying balls about and doing all the aspects of the game you want from a box to box midfielder.

I think Lopes is the more natural fit long term for a number ten.

I think in the summer if we got one of Pogba or Koke, Barkley, one of De Bruyne or Dybala and with Lopes coming back, I think we will have a good set of young midfielders ready to take us into the next generation.

 

[Lomas has a lob on]

He has everything in his game to become a major star for us.

Barkley is a kid, and would be a tremendous asset. Give him a break, and City, for that matter.

We don't sign young players, we get slagged off.

We don't sign British talent, we get slagged off.

Some people really need to watch the game a little closer, rather than wanting the shiniest toy to brag about.

Tell me again, where's Gourcuff, where's Diego, where's Queresma, all names I have seen down the years on here.

He has been hung out to dry this season by a manager who stated he would become the greatest English player EVER. Think about that for a second.

Martinez has stuck him out on the wing, played him too quickly after injuries, playing in a team running on empty due to Europa League participation, coupled with a key injury to McCarthy and the continued downgrade of Barry.

If we think he is too expensive, we will walk away, as we have done with every other target.

He's a capable squad player right now who might just become a major star. Even the great Iniesta stated recently that Barkley is one of the few English players who could play at Barcelona.

We've forgotten what the transfer landscape looks like these days, having been forced to cut our cloth.

£20m doesn't buy elite, it buys you a certain tier of performer who can still hold their own - we need that.

I agree with some of the posts on here, £20m is a reasonable price if we include future add-ons.

A bit of sense in the midst of all the flappers.

It's not flapping to think we have a superior player already in Marco Lopes and buying Barkley to play ahead of him would be absolutely stupid.

I see Lopes more in line to perhaps replace a Nasri or a Navas and Barkley to replace Milner or one of the Ferns. I don't see why Barkley and Lopes can't co-exist in future Citys teams and squads.