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Sam Allardyce has underlined that the door will never close on Ross Barkley at Everton - but only Barkley himself can decide if he wants his Goodison career to continue.

Barkley took his first steps towards a competitive comeback in a behind closed doors friendly at Finch Farm earlier this week.

And Blues boss Allardyce has targeted early January - with an FA Cup tie at Anfield coming within that timeframe - as a potential date for his return.

But any possibility of Barkley extending his career beyond that is up to the player.

"I don't think it's in our hands at the minute," said Allardyce. "It's in Ross's hands but he knows the door is always open if he wants to talk about staying.

"That's never going to change. It's always going to be open

"But whether he chooses that route or not will determine what happens in January. But who knows?"

Barkley has been sidelined all season after undergoing surgery on a ruptured hamstring.

(Image: Instagram)

But he played in a behind closed doors friendly on Tuesday and Allardyce added: "If everything continues the way it is, early January (for a return)."

James McCarthy and Yannick Bolasie also played a part in the friendly and Allardyce explained that Bolasie could be named on the substitutes' bench for tomorrow's lunchtime visit of Chelsea, with a view to being introduced at some stage.

"Physically he's totally ready but from a technical point of view he will still be slightly rusty," said the Blues boss.

"But we have to throw him in at some stage so the sooner we can do that the better.

"We will consider naming him on the subs bench tomorrow and if he does then we would like to get him on at some stage, hopefully because we're getting a result."