By Sami Mokbel
|
Chelsea are using Saturday's clash against Everton to add to their growing dossier on England international Ross Barkley.
Sportsmail understands a senior Stamford Bridge scout will be deployed to Goodison Park on Saturday night with the brief of solely watching the 19-year-old.
Barkley is viewed as one of the best emerging talents in English football, a fact that was underlined last week after Roy Hodgson handed him his England debut in the 4-0 win over Moldova.
Chelsea are committed to their plan of signing the planet's best young talent, and Barkley is a teenager firmly on their radar.
Wanted: Chelsea have sent a scout to Goodison Park to watch Everton star Ross Barkley
The West London club already have numerous detailed scouting reports on the Everton midfielder and will continue assessing the Wavertree-born player as they weigh up a future swoop.
Speaking on Friday, Mourinho revealed he made an enquiry for an English player - not Wayne Rooney - during the summer transfer window.
'I like a young player, a young English player,' said Mourinho. 'The market is closed but I asked a question to position myself to see where he was. We are speaking about a very young player but his price was like he has 50 caps when he had none.
'The price for English players is very high, the market is very difficult.'
Expensive: Chelsea will have to pay a large premium to tempt Everton into selling Barkley
Indeed, Mourinho will have to pay in excess of 20million if he is to have any chance of luring Barkley from Goodison Park. The midfielder looks certain to play a key role in the English national team's future.
And Mourinho has revealed he is ready and willing to be part of new FA chairman Greg Dyke's attempts to save English football.
Dyke will embark on a consultation process with leading figures within the football world in a bid to revive the ailing fortunes of the national team.
Sportsmail exclusively revealed on Thursday how England legend Gary Lineker, who has been openly critical of the national team, is willing to meet Dyke and on Friday Mourinho insisted he is keen to hold a summit meeting with FA chiefs to help reverse the nation's footballing fortunes.
All smiles: Jose Mourinho confirmed that Chelsea did line up an English player during the transfer window
'If people think I can give one inch of contribution, I'm ready to have a private discussion,' said the Chelsea manager.
'If the right people think my experience of managing in important leagues and knowing English football as well as I do can contribute to finding a solution, then I'm ready for that.
'I care about the national team. I want my players to be elected and give everything. I never tell a player with a small injury not to go to the national team. I want to help and support our academy to improve to bring English players to the top.
'The only match I want to see England lose is when they play Portugal.'
so he can rot on the bench with the rest , chelsea are just greedy
- bell boy , void, 14/9/2013 06:41
Report abuse