Quotes from Ross Barkley

I am obsessed with improving.

I have turned 25, come into my own and focused on improving at day-to-day level.

I'm the type of player who takes risks, so every now and then I'm going to give the ball away. I just have to learn not to do it in silly areas of the pitch.

When you first come back from a long-term injury, you're just trying to get your body in order and trying to get back into the training and match routine.

With each individual, everybody takes instructions in a different way.

Now and again there are a few cookies going around the training ground. If we have played a game I can afford to have one.

I played a lot of games at a young age and I feel like I'm an older player in the side now. I communicate a lot more on the pitch and in the training room now.

I achieved my dream of playing for Everton, from a young age I always dreamed of scoring for Everton.

I have had expectations on me from a young age and I have dealt with them.

It was hard for me to leave because Everton were my boyhood club. I supported them from when I was a young kid.

As a youngster as I was a centre-half, I liked being on the ball and coming out from the back. I took chances so I got put in midfield and then I was playing all over the pitch so adjusted wherever I needed to play.

As a young lad it's been your dream to play football and you get injuries and you've got to respond well to them and work really hard, because it's your dream to be on the pitch.

It's all about success, winning trophies.

Chelsea is a massive club, you aim to win the Premier League or are challenging for trophies with the aim to win everything.

I was always a good cook from my mum showing me when I was a young lad, but hiring a chef helped me to understand food better.

Each individual has their own pre-match ritual and pick off the menu. But I usually have a bit of pesto - either spaghetti or penne. On game-day I'll add a bit of meat to it and maybe some greens.

In my living room I always used to tell my mum 'one day I'll score for Everton' and when that happened it was unbelievable for me.

To be given a fresh start at a new club like Chelsea, it's unbelievable for me.

You play football to enjoy the game and the manager wants to be happy on the sidelines watching unbelievable football.

We all go through difficult spells.

If I do well at Chelsea, then the national team will take care of itself.

I signed as an 11-year-old for Everton. I broke into the Under-18s at the age of 14, then the reserves at 15, then I was in the first-team squad at 16.

They've got a good atmosphere and it's always a tough game at the Stadium of Light.

You can never stop learning in football and I'm always trying to take little things on board that other players do.