Barkley mystery deepens

The mystery over the future of Ross Barkley has deepened after Everton called off a planned statement about the player.

According to a report in the Liverpool Echo Ronald Koeman had indicated that a statement on the midfielders contract would be issued on Monday but that idea appears to have been shelved.

Barkley is about to enter the final 12 months of his Everton contract with Koeman adamant that he has to sign a new deal or be sold in the summer.

Arsenal and Spurs have been strongly linked with a move for the midfielder but Everton have indicated that there will be no cut price deal because the player is in the final year of his contract.

With all those factors at play it could be a long summer of speculation with Barkley mindful that his place in the England World Cup squad could be at stake.

In the season just finished Barkley scored five times from 34 Premier League starts and four substitute appearances.