Former England striker Alan Shearer believes that Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley looks a lot fitter now and insisted that he is improving comprehensively under the tutelage of Maurizio Sarri.
Barkley was restored to the Chelsea starting eleven for their trip to St Mary’s on Sunday and repaid the manager’s faith by grabbing an assist and scoring his first goal for the club during a 3-0 win over Southampton.
The midfielder, who earned a recall to the England national team for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures during the international break, has earned plaudits for his impressive performances under Sarri in recent weeks.
According to his new manager, the 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds in terms of technical ability and has every attribute to become a key player for both club and country in the future.
Shearer, who is still the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer, thinks that Barkley is back to his best shape now and he is an improved player under Sarri at Stamford Bridge.
"What's always been the problem with Ross, besides having from serious injuries, is what's his best position?", Shearer said on Match of the Day.
"Was it a holding midfield role, sitting in as the 10.
"The penny might have dropped with him also that he understands the game more now and what's required of him to be successful in a successful team."
The former England international also claimed that Barkley is constantly improving while playing alongside the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
"It seems to be happening but he's also playing with better players now. It's no coincidence that he's showing what people thought he had – he can pick his head up and pick a pass.
"Look at the players he's playing with. Jorginho. Look at what Kante did for some of the players at Leicester.
“He's bound to shine now and also he looks a lot fitter now than he has done. He's 24 years of age. He should start now to understand the game more.
"It's right that he's got the England call up again. We haven't exactly been blessed in midfield with players who can get their head up and pick a pass”, he explained.
Barkley became the first Englishman since Frank Lampard in 2013 to score and register an assist in the same game for Chelsea, when he chipped in against Southampton.
