---
title: "Barkley rejected Chelsea due to fear of lack of game time"
canonical: "https://readchelsea.com/2017/10/25/barkley-rejected-chelsea-due-fear-lack-game-time/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Abdullah Mulla"
section: "Chelsea News"
published: "2017-10-25T12:07:46Z"
modified: "2017-10-25T12:07:46Z"
---

# Barkley rejected Chelsea due to fear of lack of game time

Ex-Everton defender Alan Stubbs believes that English midfielder Ross Barkley turned down a deadline day move to Premier League champions was due to concerns over playing time, according to a report from [Football London](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/transfer-news/ross-barkley-chelsea-transfers-everton-13809591).

Barkley was on the verge of a move to Chelsea after Everton agreed a deal, only for the transfer to break down on transfer deadline day last summer as Barkley believed that he would not get enough starting opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

![Alex Livesey/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/682397706.jpg)

The 23-year-old has been frozen out at Goodison Park ever since and will be looking to make a move in the January transfer window, with the Blues set to be interested in making a move again.

Stubbs said:

> Yes (there was doubt in his mind). It looked like he was going to Chelsea but he had a change of heart at the last minute and decided against it. The one thing that Ross would have wanted was that he would be starting games and Chelsea couldn’t promise him that.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is still keen to add depth to his squad in January and will be hoping to make a few additions to his squad, with Barkley still an option for the Italian.

Barkley will be itching for a big move so he can get enough game time to force his way into the England squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.