What’s the story?
Barcelona Sporting Director Robert Fernandez has confirmed that the club are looking to bring Gerard Deulofeu back to La Liga. The 23-year-old midfielder is currently at AC Milan, on loan from Premier League club Everton where he has two goals and three assists since joining the Rossoneri in January.
“Deulofeu, yes, it’s absolutely an option for the future,” Fernandez said on TV3 following Barcelona’s win over Real Sociedad.
“The club are firmly considering the option to bring him back to play for the first team next season.”
In case you didn’t know...
Deulofeu is a Barcelona youth product but never nailed down a permanent spot in the first team squad. He had been loaned to Everton and Sevilla before the Merseyside club decided to sign him on permanently following a string of good performances.
Barcelona sold him to Everton for €6m in a deal that included a buy-back clause of €12m. However, he stagnated with the Toffees and was sent on loan to AC Milan to recapture his form. Since then, there has been a steady improvement which also saw him called up to the Spain national team squad by manager Julen Lopetegui.
The heart of the matter
Re-signing Deulofeu is not as easy as it sounds, though. When the deal was completed in 2015, then-Everton boss Roberto Martinez had claimed that if the Catalan club did re-sign him, they had to retain him for an entire season. Furthermore, if they did decide to sell him again, Everton would have first rights to sign him.
Barcelona will not make a move until the summer as they are yet to announce who Luis Enrique’s replacement will be. Any new signings will be made only after they consult the new manager. Everton boss Ronald Koeman has been linked with the Barca job and he may not look to sign Deulofeu as it was he who sanctioned his loan to Milan when he was no longer in his plans.
Highlights: Deulofeu at AC Milan
Author’s take
Signing Deulofeu may turn out to be a huge gamble for Barcelona. At best, he would be a squad player unless they see a massive improvement in the next season. Barcelona are on the cusp of a new era ever since their dominance in Spain has been tested and Enrique's exit signals the need for new ideas.
Unless the new manager has total confidence in Deulofeu, he will not be a success at the Camp Nou. The club will be looking to sign established players as they get back on their feet following what could potentially be a season without a La Liga or Champions League trophy.
