Former Everton winger Kevin Kilbane has insisted that Ross Barkley is good enough to play for Chelsea or Manchester United in the Premier League.
The England international has earned plaudits for his performances so far this season, scoring five times in 13 appearances for the Toffees.
Kilbane, who spent three years at Goodison Park, told the Daily Star: "Is Barkley good enough for United or Chelsea? Yes he is. If you are talking about playing for one of the top sides, of course he has that ability.
"He has got power, he has got pace, he is two footed. He has that rare ability to change a game and bring it to life. When you watch him play, he can glide past players, he can pick passes out.
"He has taken quite a bit of stick from the Everton fans over the last couple of years. A young lad like that is going to have inconsistent spells and times where he is not going to be in the match. But this season we are starting to see his skills and his level of performance has been outstanding."
Everton travel to Bournemouth in the Premier League tomorrow.
Sian Cowper
