181015 Fotboll, Nations League Soccer Football - UEFA Nations League - League A - Group 4 - Spain v England - Estadio Benito Villamarin, Seville, Spain - October 15, 2018 Spain's Thiago Alcantara in action with England's Ross Barkley Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine © BildbyrŒn - COP 7 - SWEDEN ONLY

Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley has said that Maurizio Sarri’s footballing style makes him the ideal manager for him and Chelsea.

Barkley joined Chelsea in January after playing 179 matches for Everton, scoring 27 goals. He has done really well for Chelsea in the last few weeks.

Barkley scored and assisted a goal in Chelsea’s win over Southampton and his stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester United prevented Chelsea from suffering their first defeat of the season.

The 24-year old said that he is currently enjoying more than ever. He said, “I’m enjoying my football more than I’ve ever enjoyed it before. Now that I’m playing with fantastic players you see them enjoying their football on the training pitch and it has an effect on you.

Chelsea have always shown interest in me from when I was a schoolboy playing for England youth level but my dream as a youth player was breaking through at Everton. Everton means the world to me. I left the club and I never thought about that as a young lad but football does change and for me I felt I needed to challenge myself.

I went away. I worked harder. I improved my diet. Now I’m at a massive club like Chelsea and I feel rewards are on their way. Once I knew who the manager was who was coming in I had an interest in the style of play that he played at Napoli.

During pre-season I watched clips to see the patterns of play that the manager wanted and the movement. You play football to enjoy the game and the manager wants to see exciting football, he wants to be happy on the side of the pitch seeing us play unbelievable football with pure enjoyment, because when you were a kid you played football for the thrill of it, and that’s what he wants to see from us now. Not to feel like we’re under any pressure just to go out there, perform and enjoy football.”

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