Leon Osman: 'Ross Barkley an ideal fit for Manchester United'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 24 May 2017

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman believes that Ross Barkley is "one of the top players in the Premier League" and will be a bargain signing for a rival side.

Leon Osman has claimed that former Everton teammate Ross Barkley would adapt well to life under Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.

The England international, now into the final year of his Goodison Park deal, was warned by manager Ronald Koeman to make a decision over his future this week or else he will be sold on.

Osman is a big fan of Barkley and believes that a rival side could potentially pick up a gem for a bargain price this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur and Man United among those to have been linked with the 23-year-old.

"In football these days players have so much power. I just think Ronald Koeman is completely against that," he told talkSPORT. "Ronald Koeman is a man who wants control of everything that goes on at the football club. If it looks like Ross isn't signing his contract, he is going to demand that things are sorted and will try to get as much money as he can.

"He is one of the top players in the Premier League. He has had a decent season for Everton, has scored some great goals and has showed what he is capable of. If a team feels he can do a job for them, they will get him at a snip. There has been a lot of talk about Tottenham and him going down there.

"They have got a fantastic team, but would he be the first name on the team sheet? I don't know. I think someone like Man United might want him. Jose Mourinho likes his physical players, he likes everyone in his team to be powerful and big, and Ross Barkley certainly fits that bill."

Barkley scored five goals and registered eight assists for Everton in 36 Premier League appearances during the 2016-17 campaign.