Chelsea could send Ross Barkley out on loan after receiving interest from Turkish clubs, according to reports.
Barkley is on the fringes of Thomas Tuchel’s side and could be allowed to join Galatasaray until the end of the season.
Barkley has made 11 appearances for Chelsea so far this season, but seven of those have come from the substitutes’ bench.
Barkley has made 11 appearances for Chelsea so far this season, but seven of those have come from the substitutes’ bench.
The 28-year-old midfielder has started just one Premier League game in 2021/22 and might not even get in the team to face Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup today.
Barkley is under contract until June 2023, yet has struggled to make an impact for the Blues since joining in January 2018 and was linked with a loan move back to Everton during the January transfer window.
He stayed put, with Tuchel keen to hold onto as many players as possible due to worries about COVID-19 absences.
However, the club are now considering sending Barkley on loan to Galatasaray until the end of the season, according to The Guardian.
The Telegraph reports that ‘nothing is close to agreement’ with any Turkish club and ‘there is every chance he will stay at Chelsea’.
Chelsea had a quiet January transfer window, with Kenedy’s return from a loan spell with Flamengo the only arrival at the club.
Tuchel spoke about Barkley’s future on January 10, admitting that his departure was a possibility.
“We haven’t discussed it yet [a loan deal]. It depends what Ross wants and what possibilities there are and what makes sense. Let’s see,” he said.
“There’s always a chance it is not like it is the FA Cup and here’s your chance. There’s always a chance to make it onto the pitch, especially with a lot of COVID and injury cases.
“The situation has not changed, not for Ross, not for anybody else.”
Speaking on Friday, ahead of Chelsea’s 12.30pm kick-off against Plymouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Tuchel insisted he was happy with Chelsea’s lack of activity in January after they decided not to move for Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.
“Yes, I’m very satisfied, because it was a calm window, and to be calm is always, in doubt, the best thing,” he said.
“We were open for things, I did not have contact with Ousmane to answer your question very directly. So there was no contact between us.”