Koeman confirms Barkley wants to leave Everton

Everton manager Ronald Koeman confirmed on Wednesday that Ross Barkley rejected fresh terms on Merseyside and is looking to leave the Toffees amid reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

"His personal situation is not so difficult. We made a really good offer to sign a new contract, he declined that contract and told me he's looking for a new challenge," Koeman said, according to Sky Sports.

"It's his decision. I need to respect that and we'll see what happens, because I heard from the board that there's not really an offer on the table for Ross."

When asked if he "100 percent" expects Barkley - whose contract expires in June 2018 - to leave this summer, Koeman responded: "Yes. Yeah."

Barkley may be seeking opportunities away from Everton to boost his international credentials. The 23-year-old hasn't played for England since a friendly against Australia in May 2016, and was an unused substitute for the subsequent seven matches before being excluded from Gareth Southgate's squad in June.

Everton is apparently holding out on a £50-million asking price for Barkley, although Tottenham anticipates that valuation to drop nearer to the end of the summer transfer window as the Toffees fear the prospect of the Scouser leaving for nothing next year.

Perhaps not by coincidence, Swansea City is also believed to be asking for £50 million for Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson. Numerous reports acknowledged an unsuccessful £45-million bid for the 27-year-old from Everton on Monday, with the Swans looking to collect double the previous club-record windfall received from Wilfried Bony's sale to Manchester City in January 2015.

If the Barkley saga drags onto an eventual deadline-day move to Spurs, his debut would be a tantalising and potentially tetchy trip to Everton on Sept. 9.