Chelsea are on the brink of clinching the signing of Ross Barkley after making a new bid for the Everton midfielder.

The Blues could even complete the signing on Friday after talks accelerated over a deal believed to be worth in the region of £15million, amid suggestions Barkley was in London on Thursday.

Telegraph Sport revealed last week that Chelsea had grown increasingly confident they could land Barkley this month, even though he turned them down at the end of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham have also been chasing Barkley since the summer, but chairman Daniel Levy had hoped to set up a deal to sign the 24-year-old on a free transfer at the end of the season when his Everton contract expires.

Chelsea, though, are prepared to pay to take Barkley immediately and Sam Allardyce on Thursday admitted that Everton remained resigned to losing him.