Chelsea have announced they have completed the signing of Everton midfielder Ross Barkley on a five-and-a-half-year deal.
Barkley, who will wear the No.8 shirt at Stamford Bridge, has cost Chelsea in the region of £15m after Antonio Conte’s side struck a cut-price deal with their Premier League rivals.
The 24-year-old’s Everton deal was due to expire in the summer when he would have cost nothing, but Chelsea have moved to secure his services six months early.
“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,” he told the club’s official website.
Chelsea failed in their attempts to sign Barkley over the summer but have finally secured the services of a player they hope can fill the boots of Frank Lampard, who left the club in 2014.
Barkley has not featured at all this season after suffering a serious hamstring injury at the end of pre-season and it will take time for the England international to get back up to speed.
Despite missing the first five months of the season, no Everton player has created more goalscoring chances in the Premier League than Barkley (84) since August 2016.
