Everton icon Lee Carsley has stated that Ross Barkley should avoid the same mistake as Jack Rodwell and chose to stay at Everton rather than join the club right now. Barkley is seen as one of the most talented youngsters in the game. He has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in the last few months. United are also thought to have an interest in the player, but the appointment of Louis van Gaal appears to have shifted their attention elsewhere. Rodwell was one of the last Everton midfielders to make a big-money move to a top club.
However, the lack of regular gametime has worked to the detriment of the player and he is now on the fringes of the City game. Rodwell has been heavily linked with a return to Everton in the summer. In order to get game time, he was even spoken about a potential loan signing for Everton in the January transfer window. That it did not materialise because Everton already had Gareth Barry on loan from City and Premier League clubs can only sign on loan player from a club. Barkley is seen as one of the high-profile transfers in the summer, but Carsley says that Everton provide the best platform for Barkley to improve as a player.
“Roberto Martinez is spot-on to suggest that Goodison Park is the perfect place for Ross Barkley. He’s an Evertonian, the fans love him and the club stuck by him during his injuries which I’m sure he’ll always be grateful for. Obviously if Ross makes a big impact with England at the World Cup this summer we’ll get all the inevitable transfer gossip rumours but the truth is that Ross would be better off staying at Everton and I reckon he’s clever enough to realise that. The grass is not always greener,” said Carsley.