Manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed with certainty that Ross Barkley will not sign a new contract with Everton.

Barkley's current contract with the Toffees is set to run out at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, and they will be forced to sell him before the close of this transfer window or he'll walk away as a free agent next summer.

The future of the attacking midfielder has been up in the air especially since the start of pre-season, after he was left out of the tour squads to Tanzania and Netherlands, but it later came to light he's recovering from a groin injury.

''We made a good offer to him to sign a new contract, he declined that contract and he told me that he is looking for a new challenge,'' Koeman told reporters.

The 23-year-old Barkley, who is valued at 50 million pounds by Everton, has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea.

But Koeman has confirmed that the interested clubs have not tabled a bid yet.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : Twitter.com/RBarkley