With none of the six teams above Everton seemingly guaranteeing regular first-team football, this feels more like a quick dart for the exit than a natural progression. Talk of a new challenge seems cheap while Barkley ignores the appealing one staring him in the face. On and off the pitch, with a new stadium on the horizon, free-spending and ambitious Everton are in the best shape of Barkley's career.

This season was to be the making of Barkley, the campaign when all talk of potential finally ceased. No English player created more chances (84) or assists (eight) in the Premier League last season. Barkley ranked behind only Christian Eriksen, Kevin De Bruyne, Mesut Ozil and Eden Hazard in chances created.

Yet a timid end to last season pointed to the persistent lack of consistency that explains why many still view Barkley as a prospect rather than a 23-year-old with 150 Premier League appearances to his name. A return of one goal and one assist in the final 10 games undid previous good form. When performances dip, minor flaws become exaggerated. A maddening tendency to overelaborate in the wrong areas matches a momentum-sapping trend for holding onto the ball for too long.

Such nagging unreliability perhaps explains why Koeman has appeared unfazed throughout this entire episode. You sense the Everton manager would gladly keep Barkley but would also lose no sleep at his departure.

Criticism from his manager has been harsh but fair. After a wretched performance lasting just 45 minutes at Sunderland in September, Koeman said Barkley "needs to improve". Koeman left Barkley as an unused substitute against Manchester City in October and called it "a wake-up call".

Koeman pinpointed the need for Barkley to take his game to the next level. "He is already playing four years in the first team. You are not any more 'a talent'. That means you need to show more and improve". There was hope Barkley would begin to dominate games, smooth out the rough edges, and become the focal point of the team.

The Dutch manager's approach mirrored that of the supporters. On the other hand, the fans balanced out their judgements with a level of adoration above that afforded to most players. As recently as a 3-1 win against Burnley in April, Barkley celebrated in front of the Gwladys Street stand, pointed to all corners of the ground while thumping the club crest on his shirt. The crowd response was rapturous.

That moment should have erased any doubts Barkley had about his future. That it did not does little to quell the view that Barkley simply could not handle the pressure that naturally falls on a local lad representing his boyhood team.

Fan frustration occasional felt excessive, but there were rarely any signs of Barkley overcoming this level of expectation and scrutiny. Attention from the terraces never looked like altering, so the adaptation had to come from Barkley. It never did.

Mark Kerton/Actionplus/Icon Sportswire

Nonetheless, that is why this also feels like a cautionary tale. As Wayne Rooney prepares for his second Everton debut, his initial emergence in 2002 and perhaps the pain caused by his exit two years later have left supporters chasing their next local hero ever since.

Of those to emerge from the academy thereafter, Barkley stood out from a series of willing but limited prospects. There was the same swaggering style when first bursting onto the scene, but while Rooney thrived under the spotlight, such interest seems to have worn Barkley down.

Barkley has matured and his all-round game has improved. Sometimes, though, it feels like it has inhibited the explosive qualities that first made people sit up and take notice. Barkley galloping almost the full length of the pitch to score against Newcastle in 2014 feels like a lifetime ago.

There was a more natural and instinctive quality to his work in possession when Barkley first emerged. Perhaps a fear of making mistakes created this perceived reluctance, leading to extra touches and misjudged passes instead of efforts of goal. Whether it was a lack of self-belief or damaged confidence, it has increasingly seemed like there was a spark missing from his play.

This is a tale of missed opportunities and squandered potential. Somewhere along the way, this has all gone so horribly wrong. What should have been the perfect partnership between a local lad and his boyhood club has soured.

Everton will probably be just fine without Barkley, and Barkley likewise without Everton, but the fact the two will never become great together should be a major disappointment for all concerned.