Mayor Of Liverpool Joe Anderson is not happy with the news that Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has moved to reigning Premier League champions Chelsea for £15 million.
The English player signed for the Blues today for a considerably lower price than the £35 million negotiated with the Merseyside club when the 24-year-old opted against the move in the Summer transfer window.
Anderson took to Twitter to vent his frustration at the turn of events:
Both Lukaku and Stones not homegrown talent left Everton and we got a great price, Barkley home grown player has left and has cost EFC £20 million at least. There is no defence for me of him,he could have signed a longer contract and still left the Club.
— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) January 5, 2018
The current Mayor of Liverpool also informed the Premier League and FA that he would be inquiring as to the circumstances of Barkley's u-turn on a Summer move:
I will be writing to .@premierleague & .@FA calling for investigation into the circumstances around the transfer of Ross Barkley between Everton and Chelsea. Agent pulls transfer on deadline day of £35 million doesn’t play again transfer 4 months later £20 million
— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) January 5, 2018
When challenged by the Twitterati, Anderson doubled down on his stance:
Wake up smell the coffee, last summer four months ago EFC accepted a bid from Chelsea for £35 million the deal was pulled by Barkley &agent https://t.co/3GQ7RnQQbc
— Joe Anderson (@mayor_anderson) January 5, 2018
While it is no doubt frustrating for Evertonian's to see one of their local lads leave for a cut price fee, especially given the added revenue a Summer transfer would have garnered, you can't help but feel it was a good move for both club and player. Barkley seems to have stagnated at Goodison and £15 million is still a tidy fee for a player that has repeatedly flattered to deceive at the very highest level.
It appears that for all intents and purposes the deal hasn't broken any transfer regulations although you have to say the situation does not reflect very well on either Barkley or his agent.
Ex-footballer Rodney Marsh wasn't having any of Anderson's take:
>Joe, I have a mental list of my Top Ten dopiest people on Twitter. You have jumped into the the list at number 4! https://t.co/lQIzu4ahV7
— Rodney Marsh (@RodneyMarsh10) January 5, 2018
