Deulofeu agent unhappy about Barcelona buyback

After news broke yesterday that Barcelona were planning to exercise their buyback clause on Gerard Deulofeu, his agent today is reportedly unhappy about the news being released.

When Everton purchased the player at the beginning of the 2015 season, the Catalans had asked for a ‘first refusal’ clause to be added whereby they would be first in line to bid for the player if the Blues were to choose to sell him.

It appears that the clause is not quite as simple as it appears, with the Everton manager at the time Roberto Martinez also saying that Barca could not buy him back only to loan him out or sell him on for a higher fee for a certain period of time, understood to be one season where he has to be part of the first team squad.

Which is where his agent Gines Carvajal is stepping in with his concern. Despite his client being a part of the Spain national team setup for the World Cup qualifiers currently underway, he is also worried that if Deulofeu goes back to Nou Camp this coming season and doesn’t play enough, he’ll likely be overlooked when the final squads for the tournament next summer are announced.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Deulofeu was used in a false nine position by Ronald Koeman to begin the season before going back out on the wing sparingly. In winter he was loaned out to AC Milan in the Serie A, where he seemed to find his level.

Since his arrival at San Siro, ‘Geri’ has been one of the team’s best players bar goalie Gianluigi Donnarumma. Playing predominantly on the left side of the Rossoneri attack, Deulofeu has amassed 4 goals and 3 assists in just 17 Serie A appearances. Additionally, Geri is averaging 2.9 successful dribbles and 2.5 key passes per game.

While Koeman has not completely closed the door for a Deulofeu return to Goodison Park, it is looking more and more likely that his future lies elsewhere outside the Premier League, whether it’s a sale to Milan or back to Barcelona.