Chelsea fans were hoping that Ross Barkley would be able to make his debut for the club against Norwich tomorrow, but it’s been revealed that that will not be possible.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Antonio Conte pointed out that Barkley wouldn’t be eligible as he had signed just a few hours late. The press officer then clarified that he would have been able to feature in this cup game had he signed just a few hours earlier, before midday on the 5th, when he ended up signing.
Conte on Barkley: "No he is not able to play because the transfer was late." #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 16, 2018
It’s a real blow as this would have been the perfect opportunity to give the former Everton man some minutes in his new shade of blue.
Now he’s going to have to wait, and Conte is unlikely to want to throw a player who’s been out for almost 8 months into an important league game. Barkley’s debut could be some way away now, perhaps starting off the bench and working his way back to fitness.
