No wonder he's been out for so long.
Ross Barkley has revealed he is closing in on returning to action for Everton after the midfielder posted a photo with the caption 'not long now.'
The 24-year-old has not featured for the Toffees this season while he has recovered from surgery after rupturing his hamstring in pre-season.
With Yannick Bolasie all on the cusp of returning to first-team action following a year out, it's another boost for Everton boss Sam Allardyce.
https://twitter.com/TheKendallEnd/status/940551440497602560
As you can see in the image above, the scar on Barkley's left leg is significant. Everton fans will be pleased to see him return to action, but some sections of the fanbase may give him a frosty reception after his attempted move to Chelsea during the summer.
Barkley ultimately decided against moving to Stamford Bridge on transfer deadline day as he wanted to recuperate at Everton before weighing up his options once regaining full fitness.
Allardyce recently admitted that while he hopes to keep the England international, he may be powerless to stop him from agreeing a deal with another club.
"I'd like to think we can keep Barkley, unless somebody's already done a deal for him," the 63-year-old coach said.
"I am not daft enough to know in this game that those words and phone calls might not have already gone on.
"If we could get Ross Barkley to stay then nobody would be more delighted than me. Whether that is a possibility I do not know. For me it's about getting him back in the squad first and seeing where we are from there."
