“It would be a gamble”

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Middlesbrough are reportedly keen on a summer move for former Chelsea, Everton and Nice midfielder Ross Barkley, as Michael Carrick prepares for a second stab at Championship promotion.

According to TEAMtalk, the Boro boss has spoken to the 29-year-old about a potential move to the Riverside, and could subsequently offer a route back to England after his year-long Ligue 1 stint at Nice.

The midfielder netted four times and provided a further two assists in 27 league appearances in France’s top division last time out, as it remains to be seen if the Championship appeals to him as a next possible venture.

Should Middlesbrough strengthen their interest in Ross Barkley?

Billy Mulley

Certainly one that has come out of the blue, with the former England midfielder being something of a forgotten man, and I am unsure how I feel at this stage about Middlesbrough pursuing Barkley.

I still think there is a lot of talent there, and he has shown glimpses of that in recent seasons, but getting a consistent level of performance out of him is where my concern lies.

Carrick could be the best type of manager for a player like Barkley, especially when considering the creative freedom Boro players have in their current system.

Wage demands might be a stumbling block here, however, it could be the perfect destination for the midfielder at a rather important stage of his career you feel.

Brett Worthington

This is a very strange move from Middlesbrough.

Ross Barkley is a player who has just lost his way since he made the big-money move to Chelsea. His time at Nice wasn’t all that successful, as he was forever in and out of the starting XI and now finds himself without a team once again.

At 29, Barkley is not the player he was when he first broke through at Everton, and considering he’s been struggling, it is a surprise that Middlesbrough are interested.

However, if there was ever a manager to get the best out of him, it could be Michael Carrick. The Boro boss is the type to put an arm around Barkley and put some confidence back into him. As long as the finances are right, this could be a decent addition, but at this moment, I am very sceptical.

Declan Harte

Barkley has had a very tumultuous last few years so will require a lot of work to turn things around.

It would be a gamble for Boro to bring him in.

But if they believe that they can deliver him the right kind of environment to succeed then it could prove a shrewd move.

The midfielder has a lot of top flight experience, and he has the talent to help the club’s promotion bid, if he can get back to his best.

But there are no guarantees that will happen.

While he is available as a free agent, that is only the case because Nice opted not to renew his contract due to his minimal impact in Ligue 1, which should be seen as a big warning sign for Boro.