“I was disappointed" - Mauricio Pochettino claims he wanted to sign former Chelsea star at Tottenham

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has unveiled his past intentions of signing midfielder Ross Barkley when the Argentine was in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

Barkley's performances catapulted him into the limelight during a successful period with Everton with 27 goals in 167 appearances over four years. As his time at Goodison Park neared its end, the buzz around his next destination grew, with several football clubs lining up.

Tottenham Hotspur was one of the eager clubs, and at a certain stage in the summer of 2017, seemed the likely destination for the talented midfielder. In fact, Barkley initially turned down an offer from Chelsea, setting his sights on White Hart Lane.

However, he eventually made the move to Stamford Bridge from Everton for £15 million, closing a chapter on a drawn-out transfer saga. Now, after 100 games for the Blues and spells elsewhere, he turns out for Luton Town and could face his former club at the Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Speaking to the press, Pochettino, now at Chelsea's helm, was prompted to reflect on the missed opportunity to sign Barkley during his Tottenham days. The Argentinian coach expressed his disappointment about not being able to secure Barkley for Spurs, stating (via Football.London):

“You remember things from the past. Sometimes you can get players, sometimes they can decide to move to another side. I was disappointed but we have to understand it is business."

"He’s a great player, a very talented player, we don’t know if he’s going to play or not but we know the quality he can add.”

Barkley registered 12 goals and 11 assists in 100 games for Chelsea.

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Chelsea and other European giants eyeing Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun but £50 million valuation poses challenge

Folarin Balogun made a significant impact while on loan with Ligue 1 club Reims last season by netting 22 goals in 39 appearances across competitions. He is now on the radar of some of Europe's most prestigious clubs. However, Arsenal's hefty valuation of around £50 million has seemingly deterred Chelsea from making an immediate offer, according to the BBC.

French outfit AS Monaco have reportedly already made a bid for Balogun, only to be turned away by Arsenal. Serie A powerhouse Inter Milan has also shown eagerness to acquire the skillful forward.

What makes Balogun's situation even more intriguing is his current standing with Arsenal. Despite demonstrating his goal-scoring prowess in France and an injury to first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus, Balogun has not been included in a Premier League squad this season. The absence of opportunity under manager Mikel Arteta seems to signal that the forward is not part of the club's future plans.