Ronald Koeman admits that Ross Barkley’s Everton future is ‘not a clear situation’.
Barkley was left behind for the Blues’ first pre-season friendly of this summer as they took on Gor Mahia in Tanzania on Thursday due to a groin injury.
But the midfielder’s refusal to sign a new long-term contract at Goodison Park has prompted fresh speculation that he could be sold after defying Koeman.
The Everton manager gave Barkley until the end of last season to either commit beyond the final 12 months of his exisiting deal or risk an early departure.
Fresh from his side’s 2-1 win in Dar es Salaam, however, Koeman conceded that the Wavertree-born player’s predicament remains a difficult one to address.
He said: “At the moment it is not a clear situation.
“He is not fit, that’s the reason he didn’t travel with the team.
“We will see when he is fit and back, but everybody knows his situation, and we will see what will happen.”
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