No ‘reluctance’ from Chelsea in potential Ross Barkley deal with Newcastle United — report

Newcastle United may have new owners and a new manager, but they are still looking for their first win of the season, which remains quite amusing. But as hilarious as it would be to see them go through the whole season without a single win (or at least get relegated), their newly bottomless pockets will surely lead to a very busy January, with plenty of key reinforcements expected.

One name who’s been linked a couple times already is Chelsea’s Ross Barkley, who’s managed just six appearances (240 minutes) this season. And while that’s about six appearances (240 minutes) more than we had expected him to make, he’s still very much only on the fringes of the squad, just as he’s been for much of his Chelsea career — which is surely coming to a close soon with just 18 months left on his contract.

If Newcastle were to offer him a role, he would surely jump at the chance. According to the Telegraph, his name is one of a handful already under discussion and for whom the Magpies are not expecting to encounter “any reluctance” — on either competitive, financial, or moral grounds.

The report doesn’t claim anything more substantive than that, but a move for Barkley, especially a non-loan move, would make sense for all involved.