Merseyside
Police have found no evidence of wrongdoing in Ross Barkley's transfer from
Everton to Chelsea.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson wrote to Merseyside Police, the Football
Association and the Premier League requesting an investigation into the deal
which took Barkley from Goodison Park to Stamford Bridge for £15m on January
5, 2018.
Anderson, a lifelong Everton supporter, complained the sale of Barkley for
£20m less than the £35m fee initially agreed in August 2017 - when the
player pulled out of the move at the last minute - "at best represents a
very poor deal for Everton" and "at worst, it could be seen as a deliberate
attempt to drive down a player's value in the transfer market so as to
benefit the player, his agent and the buying club".
Anderson argued the "circumstance" of the transfer "warrants a serious
investigation" but Merseyside Police have responded saying officers have
found no evidence of a crime.
The force's assistant chief constable, Serena Kennedy, has also written to
the FA and Premier League explaining the investigation would resume if any
new evidence was to surface.
top