Sam Allardyce fears that Ross Barkley’s Everton exit may have already been sealed.
Barkley continues to hold off on committing his future to the Blues and could be available on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of this season.
Chelsea saw a deadline day deal for the England international fall through last summer while Tottenham are understood to be tracking his situation.
Everton risk losing Barkley for nothing with the midfielder free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with clubs in the upcoming January transfer window.
Erstwhile caretaker David Unsworth vowed in October to hold talks with the 23-year-old in efforts to cut through the longstanding impasse in negotiations.
Allardyce also remains keen to retain Barkley, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury, but admits that decision may no longer be in Everton’s hands.
“I’d like to think we can keep Barkley, unless somebody’s already done a deal for him,” he told Sky Sports.
“I am not daft enough to know in this game that those words and phone calls might not have already gone on.
“If we could get Ross Barkley to stay then nobody would be more delighted than me. Whether that is a possibility I do not know.
“For me it’s about getting him back in the squad first and seeing where we are from there.”