Gerard Deulofeu

Groucho · July 8, 2015

Fresh thread to discuss the boss little Spanish kid. I'm glad he's back, most are glad he's back - there's even been a banner near Goodison, and we don't do banners very often.

Here is a young lad with vast heaps of potential, who seemingly loves us, and we love him.

Now if we could just agree on Del, Geri, Deulofeu........

bizzaro · July 8, 2015

Geri ?

ijjysmith · July 8, 2015

WHAT?!?!?

My finest moment taken away.

BlueLlama · July 8, 2015

ijjysmith said:
WHAT?!?!?

My finest moment taken away.

You need to get over the poo thread mate

Groucho · July 8, 2015

ijjysmith said:
WHAT?!?!?

My finest moment taken away.

Nothing personal mate.

If you wanted to read the discussion from his return, you had to wade through tons of "who's he then?" posts before you get to the current and relevant news, that's all.

Just said in the other thread there, about how in a year or two we could have a midfield with both Besic and Deulofeu as wiser players. That'll be rather tasty I reckon.

AaronTheBlue · July 8, 2015

mkrudden · July 8, 2015

Posted by a fellow blue in the original thread, good read:
http://www.insidespanishfootball.com/158658/deulofeus-welcomed-return-can-benefit/

Inside Spanish Football

Españoles Abroad / Featured / Headlines /News / Primera Liga
0

Deulofeu’s welcomed return can benefit all
by Liam Morris | Posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2015

Liam Morris discusses how Gerard Deulofeu’s celebrated return to Everton may be the best for everyone involved.

The 2014/15 season was much more difficult for Everton though and they will be hoping that, although the player undoubtedly remains a work-in-progress, Deulofeu’s return will provide them with the dynamism and penetration their play lacked for much of last season. They will also hope that the youngster’s status as a firm fan favourite will help to improve an atmosphere that, so positive during the first year of Martinez’s reign, bordered on the poisonous for much of the second. If he can manage that, then the €6 million (£4.2m) they have had to pay to secure his signature may prove to be an absolutely bargain.

From the player’s perspective, the move also represents an excellent opportunity to put the disappointment of last season behind him, kick start his own personal development and begin to realise the undoubted potential he still possesses.

The unsuccessful Sevilla stint means there remains some work to be done in this regard. As Emery’s comments suggest, special effort is required to improve Deulofeu’s work rate, teamwork and tactical discipline. His decision-making at critical moments must also improve.

But the initial signs are positive.

The fact that the player rejected another loan move in favour of a permanent transfer suggests that he realises that he is at an important juncture in his career and is prepared to grasp the opportunity that has presented itself. The player will of course also be returning to familiar surroundings and, more importantly, somewhere he feels valued by both manager and supporters alike. If Martinez can harness the mutual respect and affection that exists between the pair to get the best out of Deulofeu then both the player and the club will reap the rewards.

Barcelona, too, have been clever. In insisting that the deal with Everton involves a buy-back clause for the first two years and first option on his sale after that, the Blaugrana have taken out a solid insurance policy. Still only 21, they know full well that, given the right guidance, their former protégé has every chance of scaling the heights he has long been thought capable of. If he does fulfil his indisputable potential, then Barcelona will be the first in the queue to secure his signature, no doubt at a reasonable price.

If that return to the Camp Nou does become a reality, then it will be an indication that the decision to seek pastures new was the correct one for Deulofeu at this stage of his career. Everton, on the other hand, will have benefited, for at least a few years, from having a genuine game-changer amidst their ranks; a more polished version of the player they had inherited two years ago and one with the attributes to engender a return to the feel-good atmosphere that pervaded the club during his first spell there. Barca, meanwhile, will get to see a belated profit on their 11-year investment in a precocious talent who may have needed to fledge the nest to learn how to fly.

Should that outcome transpire, this transfer will have been a successful one for all three parties concerned. It is not often you get the chance to say that but, then again, Deulofeu always has been a special case.