Man City are interested in the services of Everton youngster Ross Barkley – but should we trust them with another English youth player?
Jack Rodwell is a notable English young star who moved to Manchester City despite playing for the club he supported as a boy, which is surely a perfection situation? Rodwell only made 16 Premier League appearances for City during two years there – not really worth leaving your boyhood club and first-team football for – although he picked up decent wages during that time. Rodwell managed to escape during the summer transfer window as Sunderland offered him a way out.
The same couldn’t be said for Scott Sinclair who once upon a time looked to be the next big thing during his time with Swansea. Sinclair started his football life at Bristol Rovers but was swiftly snapped up by Chelsea where he was loaned out to no less than six different teams. Chelsea sold him onto Swansea and he had a very impressive time there, blooming later than most players, Man City then snapped him up in 2012. He’s never managed to break into the City squad permanently and that’s no surprise really. Scott clearly preferred the idea of large sums of money over regular playing time and that’s his prerogative, however he spent last season on loan at West Brom and couldn’t even break into their side as they narrowly avoided relegation. His ability has clearly disappeared during his two seasons in Manchester and he is still rotting outside of the first-team until his contract runs out.
Ross Barkley could well now follow the steps of Jack Rodwell if he moves from Everton to Manchester City, who are interested. Ross has been one of the brightest English stars to come onto the Premier League scene and of course Manchester City want the best available, but Sinclair and Rodwell were highly rated once too and they couldn’t/cannot get anywhere near the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva.
The 20-year-old Everton midfielder has been missing through injury for much of this season, but looks to be back on the road to recovery now. The Toffees are a club on the up and despite a port start to this season, they have the promise to finish high in the table and even push for the top four places. At Everton, Ross is playing alongside England internationals (Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, and John Stones) and he is an England regular himself. The only reason that I can warrant for Barkley to move to City is if he wants to guarantee trophies in the next few seasons. He is still only 20-years-old and he should remain at Everton until he is at least a top performer and is considered a key player, only then can he guarantee first-team football elsewhere.
He doesn’t need to be at City to get international football. He doesn’t need to be at City to earn excellent money. He does need to be at Everton to get regular first-team football.
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