Ross Barkley has finally set the record straight.
On his Twitter account Saturday, Barkley wrote in three separate tweets that he didn’t pull out at the last second of a Chelsea medical and that he’s decided while he recovers from his hamstring injury suffered in August, he’ll wait until January to decide his future.
Contrary to a number of reports in the press, I did not undertake a medical with any club at any point.
— Ross Barkley (@RBarkley20) September 2, 2017
I simply decided that due to my injury, it would be best to make a decision on my future and assess all my options in January when fully fit
— Ross Barkley (@RBarkley20) September 2, 2017
Thanks for all of the support.
— Ross Barkley (@RBarkley20) September 2, 2017
After it had been reported that Everton and Chelsea had agreed a fee for the player to join the London club, it was then confirmed by Everton owner Farhad Moshiri that Barkley had a change of heart at the last moment.
That led to rumors and twists and turns in the tabloids that Barkley had undergone a medical and changed his mind in the middle of it to stay with Everton.
“The two clubs agreed a deal of £35 million ($45.3 million) and I think personal terms were agreed,” Moshiri told Sky Sports News on transfer deadline day.
“After the medical we heard from Paul Martin, Ross Barkley’s agent, that he had changed his mind and wanted to reconsider his position during the January window — that is the latest.”
Barkley has one year remaining on his Everton contract but manager Ronald Koeman said earlier this summer that the Englishman isn’t in his plans moving forward.
Considering that agents receive a fee on transfers and not on free transfers, it appears that it was Barkley’s decision to stay until at least January, though his transfer value will drop significantly with the possibility that any club can sign him as a free agent six months later.
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