Ross Barkley has revealed a past offer from Chelsea was kept from him.

Barkley has revealed he could have joined the Stamford Bridge club a lot sooner.

Chelsea scouts watched Barkley during Everton's 2011/12 pre-season campaign and then made an offer to sign him two years later.

It came with an option to loan Barkley back to Everton, but the England international had no idea.

“I wasn't aware of that until I came to talk to the club and it got mentioned to me," Barkley told the Telegraph.