Did Rangers miss out on Ibrox’s answer to Diego Maradona when Giovanni van Bronckhorst ruled out a move to bring in free-agent Ross Barkley during the summer of 2022?
Well, in all honesty, probably not, no.
But the simple fact that the Luton Town playmaker is being mentioned in the same breath as arguably world football’s greatest ever player is still quite the testament to a man who’s career appeared to be circling the plughole before he put pen to paper at Kenilworth Road over the summer.
“Honestly, they’ve been some of the best midfield performances I’ve seen in my career,” Andros Townsend, Ross Barkley’s Luton team-mate, tells talkSPORT.
“It’s just unbelievable. The calmness, the ability to get the ball off the back four and knock it past some of the world’s best midfielders without a care in the world.
“We saw yesterday against Man City. Maradona was in the midfield to set up our goal! Honestly, it’s been a joy to watch.”
Rangers overlooked Ross Barkley in 2022
OK, Barkley might have left it a little late to fulfil the potential that once had former Everton boss Roberto Martinez drawing comparisons with Ibrox legend Paul Gascoigne. He turned 30 last week, after all.
But Barkley’s Luton Town revival is an example for all players who find themselves a little lost. Stuck in football’s no-man’s land. There will always be a fresh start available for those willing to fight for it, Luton reaping the rewards after walking down a path Rangers did not dare to tread following the termination of Barkley’s Chelsea contract a year-and-a-half ago, Giovanni van Bronckhorst telling the Glasgow Times that the former England international was ‘never an option’ for the Scottish giants.
Perhaps this was a classic case of ‘once burned, twice shy’. Van Bronckhorst’s very public dismissal of Barkley came only a few weeks after Aaron Ramsey’s ill-fated Ibrox stint came to an end.
‘Absolutely incredible’
“In a way he’s given confidence to the rest of the players around him, including myself… Just that calmness to take the ball under pressure, it’s such an underrated skill,” Townsend adds.
“He’s been absolutely incredible and he’s been an absolute joy to play with, but a joy to watch as well.”
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