Everton will hold out for £30 million if they are to sell Ross Barkley this summer, according to The Guardian.
Tottenham have been heavily linked with Barkley after the midfielder declined a new contract at Everton towards the end of last season.
The 23-year-old is expected to leave Goodison Park by the end of the month, but Ronald Koeman claims it won’t be on the cheap.
“We won’t let him go cheap, of course not,” said the Dutchman. “We have the experience of what we need to pay for players who came here and had one year of contract. If there is a club thinking we can wait until the last day and we put some money on the table and we get Ross Barkley, sorry, you do not get Ross Barkley.”
“If there is an offer, maybe the club will not accept. He is a really good player; a young player, an English player. With all the valuations we have seen the last few weeks about players, then if you want to buy Ross it is a big [financial] deal.”
The Guardian suggests Everton now value Barkley at £30 million. Their logic? Michael Keane, who like Barkley had 12 months left on his contract with former club Burnley, joined Everton for £30 million, so Barkley’s price tag is likely to be the same.
Koeman added: “I still believe he will make the move. If not, he is a player of Everton and if he shows to me he is one of the best then it is possible he can start, like everyone else.”
If Spurs were willing to pay £25 million for Barkley, I’m sure an extra £5 million won’t put them off. But this is Daniel Levy we’re talking about.
