Gerard Deulofeu faced a pivotal summer when returning from his season-long loan at Sevilla. He had been farmed out for the last two seasons, first with Everton and then the Europa League winners, but his time in Andalucia was frustrating – the winger generally struggled under Coach Unai Emery. To make matters worse, Emery did little to quash doubts about the player’s attitude in an interview with the Guardian prior to the Europa League final against Dnipro.
“He doesn’t have the maturity or capacity for sacrifice yet,” the trainer stated when talking about Deulofeu.
Two options faced the 21-year-old – stick or twist. Another loan spell was out of the question, so a transfer seemed on the cards, especially as Deulofeu didn’t feature in Luis Enrique’s plans at Barcelona. A move to Everton ticked all the boxes for several reasons.
Firstly, Deulofeu enjoyed a fruitful time at Everton. Despite scoring just three goals and four assists in 25 League appearances, the Spaniard showed glimpses of his ability. He was certainly a handful for opposition defenders in one-on-one situation, while his goal against Arsenal, a fierce snapshot, was breath-taking and arguably the highlight of his stint.
Secondly, Roberto Martinez is the perfect manager to guide him. He instilled confidence in him at a time when Everton were a real threat as they narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification. In addition, the former Swansea boss is known for extracting the best out of young talents, namely John Stones and Ross Barkley, even if the midfielder slightly regressed last season.
For Barcelona, the loss of Deulofeu is a case of a bright talent not being able to fulfil his vast potential. Talk had grown of Deulofeu being the next big thing to come out of La Masia since Lionel Messi. However, being frozen out at Sevilla only served to curtail his development.
Selling him for €6m is quite the surprise in that it’s almost a cut-price fee. What’s more surprising is that a player of his calibre being sold in the midst of presidential elections. However, there is a way La Blaugrana could benefit from the deal. They made sure to insert a buyback clause that can be activated over the next three years, meaning they can profit on the starlet realising his potential.
Nonetheless, Deulofeu moving to Goodison Park is a symbol of how players of his ilk under the administrations of Barca club Presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu haven’t utilised their potential. The only solace Barcelona can take from the attacker’s switch to Everton is the buyback clause.
One thing can be concluded, however – the move suits the player and his new club, and if things go well for the Catalan native, Barcelona too.
