Merseyside Police and London’s Metropolitan Police have been contacted by Joe Anderson regarding Ross Barkley’s transfer to Chelsea, the ECHO can reveal.
Earlier today we exclusively published a letter written by the outspoken mayor which called for the Football Association and the Premier League to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deal which saw Barkley move from Goodison Park to Stamford Bridge for £15 million.
The most surprising passage of the letter saw Mayor Anderson suggest that he had contacted police and asked them to assess whether any fraud had been committed in the deal.
Now we have had confirmation that both Merseyside Police and London’s Metropolitan Police have been contacted by the Labour leader regarding the transfer.
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said that its Chief Constable Andy Cooke had been contacted directly by Mayor Anderson.
He added: “We are aware of this issue and there will be a response.”
The most surprising passage of the letter saw Mayor Anderson suggest that he had contacted police and asked them to assess whether any fraud had been committed in the
The Lifelong Everton fan is unhappy that Barkley had arranged to move to Stamford Bridge in the summer for a reported fee of £35 million, before the deal fell through at the last minute.
After not playing a game in the intervening months, the England midfielder sealed his switch when the transfer window opened last week - but for a much smaller figure of £15 million.
In his letter to Football Association Chairman Greg Clarke and Premier League boss Richard Scudamore - written on Mayor of Liverpool headed paper - Mayor Anderson describes himself as “a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club - and as someone with a broader interest in the future of the game.”
Discussing the Barkley transfer, he points out that Everton owner Farhad Moshiri announced on August 31 that a deal had been reached with Chelsea for the player for a fee of £35 million.
He writes: “The fee was believed by many, including myself, to be a good deal and was based on him having just a year left of his contract.”
Pointing out that the deal was rejected by Barkley at the eleventh hour, the Mayor goes on to explain that he has not played a single minute for the Blues since then, with the stated reason for this being a groin strain.
Referring to the subsequent January sale of Barkley for the much lesser fee, Mayor Anderson writes: “(This is a) decrease in value of more than one million pounds a week. At best, this represents a very poor deal for Everton Football Club.
At worst, it could be seen as a deliberate attempt to drive down a player’s value in the transfer market so as to benefit the player, his agent and the buying club.”
He goes on to suggest that the circumstances surrounding the transfer warrant “serious investigation”, adding that “there seems to be at least a public perception that collusion has taken place.”
He then calls upon the football chiefs to look into the transfer in order to “reassure fans that transfers will be monitored more closely in future and that no individuals are benefitting inappropriately.”
But perhaps the most startling point in the letter - and the passage that proves how seriously the mayor is taking this - comes when he suggests he has contacted the police over the issue.
He writes: “I am so concerned about the circumstances surrounding this transfer that I am asking the appropriate police authorities to consider whether any fraud has taken place.”
Concluding, Mayor Anderson adds: “As a politician - and someone who supports and rightly welcomes scrutiny under the Nolan Principles - I feel it is right that the public receive an assurance on this matter - and that transfers are monitored more closely.
“I hope we can count on the sport’s governing bodies to provide those.”
When contacted by the ECHO, Ross Barkley’s management team declined to comment.
The ECHO has also attempted to reach Chelsea Football Club for a response.
Earlier today we exclusively published a letter written by the outspoken mayor which called for the Football Association and the Premier League to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deal which saw Barkley move from Goodison Park to Stamford Bridge for £15 million.
The most surprising passage of the letter saw Mayor Anderson suggest that he had contacted police and asked them to assess whether any fraud had been committed in the deal.
Now we have had confirmation that both Merseyside Police and London’s Metropolitan Police have been contacted by the Labour leader regarding the transfer.
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said that its Chief Constable Andy Cooke had been contacted directly by Mayor Anderson.
He added: “We are aware of this issue and there will be a response.”
The most surprising passage of the letter saw Mayor Anderson suggest that he had contacted police and asked them to assess whether any fraud had been committed in the
The Lifelong Everton fan is unhappy that Barkley had arranged to move to Stamford Bridge in the summer for a reported fee of £35 million, before the deal fell through at the last minute.
After not playing a game in the intervening months, the England midfielder sealed his switch when the transfer window opened last week - but for a much smaller figure of £15 million.
In his letter to Football Association Chairman Greg Clarke and Premier League boss Richard Scudamore - written on Mayor of Liverpool headed paper - Mayor Anderson describes himself as “a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club - and as someone with a broader interest in the future of the game.”
Discussing the Barkley transfer, he points out that Everton owner Farhad Moshiri announced on August 31 that a deal had been reached with Chelsea for the player for a fee of £35 million.
He writes: “The fee was believed by many, including myself, to be a good deal and was based on him having just a year left of his contract.”
Pointing out that the deal was rejected by Barkley at the eleventh hour, the Mayor goes on to explain that he has not played a single minute for the Blues since then, with the stated reason for this being a groin strain.
Referring to the subsequent January sale of Barkley for the much lesser fee, Mayor Anderson writes: “(This is a) decrease in value of more than one million pounds a week. At best, this represents a very poor deal for Everton Football Club.
At worst, it could be seen as a deliberate attempt to drive down a player’s value in the transfer market so as to benefit the player, his agent and the buying club.”
He goes on to suggest that the circumstances surrounding the transfer warrant “serious investigation”, adding that “there seems to be at least a public perception that collusion has taken place.”
He then calls upon the football chiefs to look into the transfer in order to “reassure fans that transfers will be monitored more closely in future and that no individuals are benefitting inappropriately.”
But perhaps the most startling point in the letter - and the passage that proves how seriously the mayor is taking this - comes when he suggests he has contacted the police over the issue.
He writes: “I am so concerned about the circumstances surrounding this transfer that I am asking the appropriate police authorities to consider whether any fraud has taken place.”
Concluding, Mayor Anderson adds: “As a politician - and someone who supports and rightly welcomes scrutiny under the Nolan Principles - I feel it is right that the public receive an assurance on this matter - and that transfers are monitored more closely.
“I hope we can count on the sport’s governing bodies to provide those.”
When contacted by the ECHO, Ross Barkley’s management team declined to comment.
The ECHO has also attempted to reach Chelsea Football Club for a response.
