Ross Barkley

[DrGonzo]

We have been so short in this midfield area, SJM is not a holding player.  Strikes me as a good coverage signing, certainly better than having to rely on Chambers to play that role.

[Brazilian Villain]

Until Fabrizio has spoken it's just idle speculation anyway .

Surprised you rate him, given many consider him to be a 'tap-in' merchant.

[john e]

We have been so short in this midfield area, SJM is not a holding player.  Strikes me as a good coverage signing, certainly better than having to rely on Chambers to play that role.

If that’s the best argument comparing him to Chambers then it doesn’t fill me with any more confidence

[VillaTim]

Ross Barkley isn't happening. Everyone get some sleep .

[Toronto Villa]

Intelligent signing to help our squad across a very taxing season. We ran out of experienced bodies. If Liverpool can sign Milner, Man U can sign a variety of experienced players, Arsenal signed Jorginho, we aren't above bringing in someone who can help us out. And he was superb for Luton last season.

[john e]

Intelligent signing to help our squad across a very taxing season. We ran out of experienced bodies. If Liverpool can sign Milner, Man U can sign a variety of experienced players, Arsenal signed Jorginho, we aren't above bringing in someone who can help us out. And he was superb for Luton last season.

Your really not helping
Milner is right up there as a role model perfect professional, Barkley isn’t
the fact your using Man Utd’s forage into the experienced players is unbelievable as they are mostly shit
we are bringing in someone where are very own experience with him was that he was a flop

[ozzjim]

Seems it is.

I think there is a nodding acknowledgement from some fans of just how tight we might be to PSR breaches, followed by "why aren't we buying him over there for £45 million".

While I would love 3-4 brilliant signings and an Arsenal esque £200 million spend this summer, it ain't happening. Emery said we need to be intelligent. Make smart choices now so we can strengthen later.

Barkley for £2m when he has been in the top 5 Premier league centre mids this season on a lot of metrics, is clever. He's adapted to a deeper role, is comfortable in his own words of taking the ball anywhere and keeping it, chips in with a few goals and assists and seems to have grown up a lot. He's got champions league and playing abroad experience too. If he wasn't Barkley and was coming from Spain for that fee after the season he has had we'd be lauding it as a clever bit of squad building....which it is, especially when you see how shoddy we were when Luiz and McGinn were left on their own at any point last season.

[AV84]

^ exactly, and when our midfield didn't work, nothing else worked, and we looked awful.

[Dave P]

Let’s not wet the bed and think he’s going to replace Luiz or Tielemans. He’s more than likely going to upgrade Dendonker and that is a bone fide upgrade.

[VillaTim]

It's  going to be a very long summer at this rate .

[Toronto Villa]

It's  going to be a very long summer at this rate .

agreed. You're unbearable with your constant misery.

[pauliewalnuts]

When we look at the bench during a match, we need to have options.

I don't like that option being Calum Chambers. I'd much rather it was Ross Barkley, at a pretty miniscule cost, he's a massive upgrade.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's  going to be a very long summer at this rate .

Tell you what, it is for people who just do not listen when PSR is discussed.

As others have pointed out up this page, we CAN NOT go and spend what we want, we're in a tight spot already, and as the manager himself said last week, we need to be intelligent in what we do.

Anyone thinking we'll be dropping 50m on a player this summer - unless we make a big sale - is going to be really disappointed.

We can't do it.

[tomd2103]

Let’s not wet the bed and think he’s going to replace Luiz or Tielemans. He’s more than likely going to upgrade Dendonker and that is a bone fide upgrade.

I just can't see him in that defensive midfield role for us I'm afraid. We need someone who is athletic, can cover the ground and really bring some energy in there like Kamara does. 

Happy to be proved wrong, but I just don't see this being a shrewd signing. 

[john e]

It's  going to be a very long summer at this rate .

Tell you what, it is for people who just do not listen when PSR is discussed.

As others have pointed out up this page, we CAN NOT go and spend what we want, we're in a tight spot already, and as the manager himself said last week, we need to be intelligent in what we do.

Anyone thinking we'll be dropping 50m on a player this summer - unless we make a big sale - is going to be really disappointed.

We can't do it.

We’ve got Monchi and half the Spanish nation looking for value replacements but the best you think we can come up with is a flop we had first time round
you’ve got it wrong if you think I’m looking at 50 mill players, I was just hoping for a bit better than the risk we already know about