Chelsea hero Joe Cole admits he's a fan of Ross Barkley.

Cole reckons the former Everton prodigy hit top gear just before the coronavirus shutdown and is ready to finally go on and fulfil his huge potential.

The former Chelsea and England forward, now a coach at the club, said: “Ross has improved. He is a top player. I'm a big fan of Ross Barkley. Always have been.

“He's been a bit less spoken about because of Jack Grealish and James Maddison and Mason Mount. But he's done a terrific job at Chelsea.

“The last two games, against Liverpool and Everton, he was brilliant. Absolutely fantastic.

“I've always thought he was a top player and I think he'll be at Chelsea for many, many years.

“Now the challenge for Ross is can he keep doing that, can he be that player who drives Chelsea on to win trophies, like his manager was? I think he can."

Cole continued: “I'm pleased if people can see similarities between him and me because I'm a big fan. I think I just developed at Chelsea.

“It wasn't just Jose (Mourinho). He's a fantastic manager. But I was playing with better players. More expectation. I grew into my body a bit. And winning trophies breeds confidence.

“I like everything about Ross. Technically, he's spot on. The mental aspect of the game, he's getting better and better. Tactically he is improving all the time.

“I just think he's a top top player for Chelsea and England. As football evolves, players like him are getting more and more valued. He's a fantastic player."