Sam Allardyce has claimed that Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is "putting his career in severe danger".

The 23-year-old has turned down the chance to sign a new contract at Goodison Park, and was strongly linked with moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea during the summer transfer window.

It is believed that Barkley travelled to London to undergo a medical with Chelsea on transfer deadline day, but decided against joining the Premier League champions.

A hamstring injury is currently keeping the midfielder on the sidelines, but Allardyce has warned Barkley that he is putting his career in doubt due to his difficult situation on Merseyside.

"It's all about money, isn't it? 'Everton are not offering me [Barkley] enough money, my boyhood club that have given me the opportunity to play in the first-team'," Allardyce told talkSPORT.

"I think [Everton] made him, they said at the time, the best offer they could possibly make him, which he refused on the basis probably that his agent said, 'I can get you more than that somewhere else'. And that didn't materialise in the end.

"A move to Tottenham, I believe, broke down on the basis of the money, that they wouldn't pay the demand from Barkley's agent at the time and he's left in limbo. He's putting his career in severe danger here. If Chelsea don't come in, or they don't offer the sort of money they're looking for, what does he do then? Football is a very short career and this promising young player, his career is stalled at the moment.

"He needs to get back to playing football, and wherever the contract is and whatever the money is, surely it's going to be enough this time to either stay at Everton or move on."

Allardyce is widely being tipped to become Everton's new head coach following the departure of Ronald Koeman.

Written by
Matt Law