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Everton to hand Ross Barkley new long-term contract

By on December 12, 2013

20131212-213628.jpg Everton manager Roberto Martinez confirmed that Ross Barkley would be handed a new long-term contract after breaking onto the scene in English football. The 20-year-old broke into Martinez’s first team this season and in order to reward the midfielder for his talents and ward of potential suitors Everton are set to lengthen Barkley’s current deal at Goodison Park.

Barkley currently has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal and has been accustomed to receiving lucrative contracts since joining Everton’s youth setup t the age of 11. At the age of just 17 the Englishman received a maximum two-and-a-half-year deal and was offered a three year extension to that deal just a year later. Once again talks of a new deal will be held as Martinez confirmed.

“Ross has got a long-term contract with us so it is not a situation where he is coming to the end of his contract,” Martinez said. “As a club, we will always want to reward young players if they do well in the first team and their roles change. Remember that Ross was a youngster trying to break into the first-team squad. Now, for me, he is going to have an important role in the squad, so that is going to be reflected. But there is not a timescale [on the contract being signed].”

Manchester United and Chelsea were among those interested in Barkley before he committed his future to Everton and went out on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United. Yet the starlet was hardly given a chance to shine under David Moyes, and has nearly played as many first-team matches under Martinez than during his three years under Moyes. The England national team is also keen on making the most of Barkley, and have already rewarded him with three international caps. Barkley also has a good chance to just knick a spot in England’s 23 man World Cup squad this summer despite having very little international experience.

The former England Under-16, U-17, U-19, U-20, and U-21 player has not yet put pen to paper on the new club deal at Everton, but Martinez promised to publicize the news when it happens, saying: “It is something that is in my thoughts. As soon as we conclude that, we will let the fans know. It is the same for every young player, not just for Ross. Every youngster that comes in and allows himself to step up into a new role, that is going to be recognised in a contract. If his contract is up at the end of the season or he has another five years, it doesn’t matter.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.