Chelsea 'considering huge payoff for Barkley' to shed his £200k-a-week salary

Chelsea are looking to offload midfielder Ross Barkley before this week's transfer deadline - and could even offer him a pay-off to exit the club.

The 28-year-old has fallen way down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and despite being involved on the clubs pre-season tour of the US, has not featured in any of Thomas Tuchel's Premier League squads.

The expected arrival of Anthony Gordon from Barkley's former club Everton could ironically seal the fate of the 33-cap England international, who joined the Blues in 2018.

The West London side are now keen to shift Barkley from their squad and according to The Sun, the club could pay-up his contract to seal his exit.

Barkley still has a year left on his £200,000 a week deal and it would take a huge pay-off to see him leave Stamford Bridge, but new owner Todd Boehly may make an offer to offload the star.

The midfielder has made 100 appearances for the Chelsea, but has struggled for game time over the last two seasons.

He was loaned to Aston Villa for the 2020-21 campaign, appearing 24 times for Dean Smith's side, scoring three goals.

Barkley did make a surprise first-team run last season, notching up 14 appearances and scoring in the Blues final day win over Watford, but is now seen surplus to requirements at the club.

Chelsea have had a busy summer under Boehly, recruiting Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella. They hope to add both Gordon and Leicester's Wesley Fofana this week.

The Blues have tabled several bids for the centre-back, but yesterday agreed a deal worth £75million for the Foxes defender.

Fofana will sign a £200,000 a week six-year deal with club to bolster a Chelsea backline that lost both Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger over the summer.

The 21-year-old had been left out of Leicester's recent match day squads and made to train with the Foxes Under-21's and he looked to force a move away from the club.