Ross Barkley set for Chelsea medical — reports

The Ross Barkley train is pulling into Chelsea station — it’s a metaphor — and it sounds like there is no turning back now, unlike in the summer.

Here’s the Telegraph’s Matt Law with the latest update: a medical coming up today (Friday) with perhaps a signing to follow immediately or shortly thereafter. Certainly, if these dispatches are true — and there is little reason to doubt their veracity — Ross Barkley will be a Chelsea player before the week’s and perhaps even the day’s end.

Here’s the Times’ Paul Joyce with the same info.

Obviously, general excitement will be tempered since not everyone is sold on Barkley as a player, but as Law points out (just as we have), £15m is an absolute bargain for a 24-year-old homegrown player with still some promise left in his legs.

And yes, £15m is still a bargain even though Barkley’s contract will be up in the summer and he would be able to move for free. Sorry, Spurs!

Barkley returned to training with Everton just before Christmas, so he won’t be completely out of shape when he turns up at Cobham, though presumably he’ll take some time to get up to speed with Conte’s fitness regime, training methods, and tactical ideas.

It’s happening!