Chelsea secure £15m signing of Ross Barkley - What's your view on our new signing?

Despite not kicking a ball so far this season, Ross Barkley is due to sign for Chelsea in a deal worth a reported £15m as Chelsea look to strike a deal for a second time with the Toffees - this time £20m less than first offered. 

We all know that Chelsea had agreed a fee with Everton for the 24-year-old England midfielder back in August but for the player himself to reject a move at the time due to the injury that he is still recovering from. Four months on and Antonio Conte is not deterred and has made his move with the player free to talk to any interested clubs in January with just six months left on his contract.

So what of Barkley and his move to Chelsea, where would he fit in? You would have to say that he would play as the alternative to Cesc Fabregas when we play our three-man midfield. Having ideally two players for each position, some will argue that Willian could do the job there without having to look to bring someone else in.

Barkley is a natural talent and someone that with the right guidance, he could turn into a world beater and working with Antonio Conte with the demands he makes of his players, Barkley could prove to be a key signing for Chelsea over the next five years in my view.

Whether or not he would get the opportunities that he would need to get back into the swing of things ahead of the World Cup in the summer is up for debate. However, Barkley would offer Chelsea an alternative option in our midfield and that being the box-to-box goalscorer and we haven't had here since the days of Frank Lampard.

What do you think of Ross Barkley?