Chelsea signed Ross Barkley from fellow Premier League club Everton to complete their first transfer of the winter window. Barkley will wear the number eight shirt and has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract.
Antonio Conte, who missed out on the midfielder in the summer, will be relieved to get his man for £15 million, as the Blues have looked short of options in midfield this summer.
Having struggled with injury since the start of the Premier League, Barkley has been out of competition since August. This means that the 24-year-old is eligible to be registered in all four of the Blues’ competitions this season.
After signing for the Premier League champions, Barkley said: “I’m overwhelmed, I’m looking forward to it and I’m really excited to get started.
‘To be given a fresh start at a new club like Chelsea, it’s unbelievable for me. I’m looking forward to continuing where I left off at the end of last season and hoping to improve and add more goals to my game.”
Barkley has 150 Premier League appearances to his name, scoring 21 league goals during his time at Everton, having joined the Toffees as a 11-year-old.
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