Ross Barkley is braced for a hostile reception from Everton fans this weekend.
Sunday’s clash between the Blues and Chelsea will be the first time Barkley has faced his former club since sealing a £15 million move in the January window.
But the midfielder faced supporter backlash for the nature of his switch to Stamford Bridge after refusing to commit to a new long-term contract.
Barkley decided against an original £35m switch to the Londoners at the eleventh hour in August 2017 after entering the final 12 months of his existing deal.
Everton’s major shareholder Farhad Moshiri claimed the England international had ‘changed his mind’ after agreeing personal terms and undergoing a medical.
And the Wavertree-born player is aware of the ill feeling from fans of his boyhood club resurfacing when Marco Silva’s side travel to the capital.
“I don’t think the reception will be the best,” Barkley told Chelsea TV.
“I’m not nervous, I’m excited to play against my former club and team mates – I understand how some of them play, so that could be an advantage for me.
“On the day I might get a few nerves as it will feel a bit strange. I’m looking forward to catching up with some of the staff there who I used to get on really well with.
“I was approaching 25 and I felt looking back I could have improved a lot more. At Chelsea I knew I’d improve a lot quicker around better players, world-class players.”