Everton boss Roberto Martinez continued to strengthen his first-team squad last week by signing up Barcelona youngster Gerard Deulofeu on a season-long loan deal. The highly-rated 19-year-old is the fourth player to move to the Merseysiders since Martinez’s installation and follows former Wigan trio Arouna Kone, Antolin Alcaraz and Joel Robles to the club.
After completing the deal last Wednesday, Martinez – in an interview with the Toffees’ official website – spoke of his admiration for the new recruit:
“Gerard is a real diamond of Spanish football and a boy with incredible footballing talent and I am delighted that he has chosen to take the next step of his career with Everton. He is a young man with a lot of potential to be a real star and the Everton family is the perfect environment for him to progress. The experience that we have in our dressing room will help him in his development and he will bring a completely different penetrating approach to our group. We understand a lot of other top clubs around Europe were interested in Gerard so it is fantastic he has joined us.”
The History
A prodigious talent, Deulofeu joined Barcelona’s youth academy at just nine years of age. Handed his debut for the Barcelona B side at the end of 2010/11, he became a regular the following year and notched nine times in 34 appearances. Last term saw a marked improvement in his attacking output, however; Deulofeu produced 18 goals and nine assists from 33 games, though he’s been tentatively eased into the first-team fold so far, with just a single La Liga appearance in each of the last two seasons. Nevertheless, the Spanish giants seem to have real faith in his abilities and handed Deulofeu a new four-year contract back in May.
On the international stage, he’s featured for Spain at every level from Under 16 to Under 21 a total of 56 times and found the net on 18 occasions. Part of the Spain side which finished runners-up in the Under 17 European Football Championships in 2010, Deulofeu then helped steer his country to back-to-back Under 19 European Football Championships in 2011 and 2012, picking up a Golden Player award for his performances in the latter tournament.
The Prospects
Deulofeu’s arrival adds further weight to the idea that Martinez is set to roll out a 3-4-3 formation in his debut season at Goodison. With Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas looking in pole position for a spot on the left and right of the front three respectively, the new boy – by his own admission – is capable of playing on either flank for the Toffees.
As can be expected of any La Masia product, Deulofeu possesses superb technique and vision, with an ability to take on defenders in one-on-one situations capable of undoing of many a backline. With virtually no experience of first-team football, though, it’s likely he’ll be eased into the fold over the first couple of months – a few sub appearances and a handful of Capital One Cup starts seem on the cards, though there’s no doubt that he has the ability to nail down a regular berth further down the line.
Fantasy managers will be cautious to begin with, though. Martinez is expected to afford his new charge the time to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, though at five foot eleven, Deulofeu won’t be too overwhelmed by the physicality of England’s top-flight – plying his trade in a possession-based 3-4-3 should also ensure the transition is a little easier for the teenager.
Yet to be listed in the Sun Dream Team game, Deulofeu is a forward in the Sky Sports game and may well be classified as a striker in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game. With Mirallas expected to come in as a midfielder in the latter game, though, Deulofeu is likely to be given a wide berth to begin with as squads are assembled over the next couple of weeks.
Whether he can offer us the option of a cheaper alternative depends on Martinez’s intentions over his game time but there is no doubt Deulofeu is a real class act. It may just take couple of star displays off the bench or in the cup to persuade Martinez he’s worthy of a regular role in the Toffees first-team and potentially elevate the young Spaniard onto Fantasy radars.
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