Despite being one of the best players in the Premier League this season, the Luton star is facing an uphill battle to return to the international fold
There has always been a special aura about Ross Barkley, right from the moment he was handed his full senior debut at Everton as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. On that occasion in August 2011, QPR left Goodison Park with a 1-0 victory, but Barkley grabbed the headlines as the standout performer on the pitch after being trusted to start ahead of Mikel Arteta and Marouane Fellaini.
Comparisons with Toffees cult hero Wayne Rooney inevitably followed, while former England and Arsenal defender Martin Keown predicted he would go on to become "one of the best players we'll ever see in this country". For a while, Barkley looked on track to live up to that billing, as he became a vital cog at Everton and a regular for the Three Lions, notably playing in all three group games at the 2014 World Cup.
Four years later, he secured a £15 million ($19m) transfer to Chelsea, which should have been the ideal place for him to reach the next level. Alas, it didn't work out, and he left the club as a free agent in 2022 with just 100 appearances in all competitions to his name.
It appeared that Barkley would never fulfil his potential, especially after an underwhelming spell at Nice last season, but Luton Town offered him a fresh start after gaining promotion to the Premier League, and the gamble has paid off. The Hatters have real hope of staving off immediate relegation with 10 games of the campaign to go, and much of the credit must go to Barkley, who has sparked talk of an England recall with his dazzling performances.
Unfortunately, his path is likely to be blocked by a certain former Liverpool midfielder who is way past his best. That's right, Jordan Henderson remains one of the first names on Gareth Southgate's list, and England fans could be in for another summer of pain as a result, with Barkley's heroics at Kenilworth Road destined to go unrewarded.
GettyAdapting to a new role
Barkley only made nine Ligue 1 starts for Nice, who are owned by Manchester United's new minority shareholders INEOS, and unsurprisingly, was not offered the chance to extend his contract at the Allianz Riviera. It wasn't a completely wasted year for Barkley, though, as he told earlier this month: "I learned a lot off the ball. In France, they work hard on the defensive side of the game, really aggressive pressing."
That experience has helped Barkley adapt to a new deep-lying role at Luton. The 30-year-old has embraced extra responsibility in defence, and the Hatters also rely on him to build their attacks, with his progressive passing ensuring that they carry a threat on the break against any opponent.
During his time at Chelsea, an apparent lack of confidence led to Barkley taking the easy option on the ball, but with Luton he looks like a player reborn, and drives forward at every opportunity. Despite his new status as a holding midfielder, Barkley has also managed to chip in with nine goal contributions for Rob Edwards' side this season, linking up with Elijah Adebayo and Carlton Morris to great effect.
"I got moved further forward into more attacking positions because my decision-making when I was younger wasn't as good as it is now. That comes with experience," he said when quizzed on his revival at Kenilworth Road. "I believe the lower midfield role for me, it's perfect for me now. I have a better understanding of the game. I can take risks, create assists and defensively I'm much more disciplined now."
AdvertisementGetty'I back myself for England'
Barkley's resurgence has been one of the feel-good stories of the 2023-24 campaign, and even if Luton end up falling short in their bid to beat the drop, there will be plenty of other Premier League clubs now considering a swoop for his services. He looks fitter than ever before, too, having played more league minutes this season than in any of the past seven, and the very best years of his career may still be ahead of him.
The prospect of adding to his haul of 33 England caps is a big motivational factor for Barkley, with his last appearance under Southgate coming back in 2019. "I'm not going to lie, it's in the back of my mind, but I know there's a lot of competition for places in the England squad," he added to . "I do back myself. I believe I can add something to the squad."
To say there is a "lot of competition" in midfield in Southgate's ranks right now is an understatement. England have more quality in the centre of the pitch than any other nation in the world, with Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden among those vying for starting spots.
The likes of James Maddison, Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips will also be at the forefront of Southgate's thinking, but Barkley can offer England something different. He's playing with real purpose at Luton and making a decisive impact at both ends of the pitch, in spite of the Hatters' limitations as a collective.
Being a big fish in a small pond seems to suit Barkley, but it would be fascinating to see him working alongside world-class operators again. If he were able to replicate his form at Luton for England, he'd be a real weapon for Southgate, and perhaps the ideal man to provide Harry Kane with the service he needs to cause maximum damage in the final third.
GettySouthgate's favourite
The problem is, Southgate has always had his favourites, and despite a turbulent campaign that has seen his reputation suffer irreparable damage, Henderson is still one of them. No one would be surprised if the Ajax midfielder starts alongside Rice and Bellingham in England's opening group game against Serbia on June 24.
Barkley could put himself ahead of everyone else, but dislodging Henderson will be practically impossible, because Southgate is such a risk-averse manager. He won't sacrifice defensive discipline for more penetration in attack, with Henderson having long been his go-to man for keeping things neat and tidy in the middle of the pitch.
Abandoning his morals and chasing riches in Saudi Arabia after leaving Liverpool last summer didn't have a negative impact on Henderson's England status, either. The 33-year-old was booed by fans during the Three Lions' clash with Australia in October, on a night when he filled in for Kane as captain, but Southgate leapt to his defence after the game.
"I really don’t understand it," said Southgate. "His commitment and what he has delivered for England is exceptional. His role in the group on and off the pitch is phenomenally important – he’s the one that has taken the likes of Jude Bellingham under his wing since he came into the squad. He’s a brilliant role model for all of the group in his professionalism and his approach."
That stance ensures that Henderson will be on the plane to the Euros, regardless of whether or not he finishes the season strongly at Ajax, who he joined in January after realising that he'd made a mistake signing up for a two-year deal with Al-Ettifaq in the Middle East. He's one of Southgate's untouchables, as evidenced by his presence in the Three Lions' latest squad for March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, and it won't bother him that he's standing in the way of Barkley and the other midfielders who have far more to offer in terms of genuine quality.
Getty ImagesHenderson no longer a role model
Henderson will turn 34 the day after England kick-off their European Championship campaign, and he's played like a man whose body is starting to betray him this season. There were signs of rust in his final year at Liverpool, which is why Jurgen Klopp was happy to facilitate his departure, and his six-month spell at Al-Ettifaq was nothing short of a disaster.
Despite reuniting with Reds legend Steven Gerrard, Henderson never settled in Saudi Arabia, and failed to record a single goal or assist in his final eight appearances for Al-Ettifaq, none of which ended in victory. Henderson was able to manufacture an escape in the January transfer window, terminating his contract by mutual consent before signing for Eredivisie giants Ajax, but his fortunes haven't improved much in the Netherlands.
Ajax have won only one of the six league games Henderson has played so far, sliding to fifth in the table, and the veteran midfielder has been regularly criticised for his lack of influence. Southgate attended his debut against PSV, though, and later admitted “it’s easier to assess somebody playing in a European league", much to Henderson's delight.
"It was good for him to come and watch to see that he's keeping an eye on me," he said to the Dutch media last week. "It's always a privilege for me to play for my country and I want to do that for as long as possible. I've got to focus on my job here and if I'm doing that well and performing well then that gives me the best possible opportunity to get in the England squad. I feel I can help the squad and the team going forward in the next camp and hopefully in the summer."
There has been no evidence over the past eight months to suggest Henderson is right. Putting aside the decline in his footballing ability, he's also lost his standing as a role model for younger players and a champion for the LGBT+ community after the Saudi saga, and will likely be the target of jeers from supporters again when he puts the England shirt back on.