Allardyce: Barkley needs to focus on football

Cape Town - Former England manager Sam Allardyce has criticised Everton midfielder Ross Barkley for focusing more on earning money than on his football career.

The 23-year-old rejected a new contract from the Toffees during the off-season as he looked for improved offer from another club. However, a proposed move to Chelsea failed to materialise.

Barkley still hasn't played a game this season, due to a hamstring injury, and Allardyce is concerned that the young player is damaging his career.

“It’s all about money, isn’t it?” Allardyce said on talkSPORT.

“‘Everton are not offering me [Barkley] enough money, my boyhood club that have given me the opportunity to play in the first-team’.

“I think they [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," Allardyce said.

He added: “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.”