Seasons » 2015-16 » Everton News
Deulofeu "very happy" to be back at Everton

Right from the start I wanted to come back

The 21-year-old officially put pen to paper on the three-year contract that the club announced had been agreed last week and he told evertontv that coming back to where he feels so loved was all he wanted once the decision had been made to part ways with Barcelona.
He had other options, with half-a-dozen other teams rumoured to be interested and better personal terms reputedly on offer at West Ham United, but there was just one choice for a player whom so many Evertonians took to their hearts in the 2013-14 campaign.
"Of course there were other options," Deulofeu admitted, "but I always said right from the start that I wanted to come back to Everton — you can ask my agent and he will say the same."
"This is where I feel happy, this is where I feel like I am loved by the fans. The fans support me — they always send me messages, so this was where I wanted to come back to."
Deulofeu arrived at Everton two years ago as one of Roberto Martinez's first signings and his capture on loan was regarded as an impressive coup for the Blues.
Widely regarded as one of the most promising players in Europe based on his performances for Barcelona B and at the U20 World Cup for Spain in 2013, he appeared destined for stardom and his proposed season in the Premier League was intended to advance his development into a more rounded player.
His return to the Nou Camp, where he was initially promoted to the Blaugrana's senior side by then new manager Luis Enrique, did not result into first-team opportunities, though, and he was sent out on loan to Sevilla for the duration of last season.
He failed to convince Sevilla boss, Unai Emery, however and was marginalised during the second half of the season, including the Spanish club's triumphant Europa League campaign so it comes as no surprise that Deulofeu has sought the warm embrace on Merseyside for the next phase of his career.
"I had a great year when I was here last," the winger continued. "I really enjoyed my time here. I felt loved by the Evertonians and I was surrounded by really good teammates. I'm very happy to be back.
"The fans here are great and I felt really supported by them. Obviously I went back to Barcelona and then Sevilla but here, the fans live for their football.
"The Everton fans have been sending me messages all the time on social media, on Instagram and Twitter, asking me questions. If I have got 50 notifications on Twitter, 40 of them will be from Everton fans asking what is going on!
"Both myself and my girlfriend feel very supported by the fans and I just hope this year I can work really hard and give them back some of the happiness that they deserve."
Reader Comments (42)
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2 Posted 01/07/2015 at 17:44:37
3 Posted 01/07/2015 at 17:44:43
"Well good luck to the lad, itÂs good to have him back but letÂs not get too carried away. ThereÂs a lot of work ahead..."
So why do I actually feel more like saying...
ÂGOOD LAD GERARD!! ONE OF US, LAD!! COYB!!!Â
Possibly because I never learn.
4 Posted 01/07/2015 at 17:57:38
Long may you stay with us and good luck for the new season.
5 Posted 01/07/2015 at 17:53:13
I have a really good feeling about this move.
6 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:05:20
8 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:01:13
We now have three very young forwards in Barkley, Delboy and Lukaku who need a player with Ânous behind them. Osman is still good for about 45 minutes and so is Pienaar but we need a Âreal top class playmaker who can start and finish matches. I was hoping for Nolito but would be happy with Mertens.
I really hope (and pray) that Mirallas stays too as supposedly we do not need to sell anyone. If a player wants to leave then so be it but unless that happens then we need to add to the squad and not just replace it one for one. If this club wants to live up to the club motto then we must get rid of players who are either long term injured or getting too old.
We should not let the likes of Coleman, Stones or Mirallas go as they are integral to the teams progress. We should be getting Gibson, McGeady and possibly Hibbert off the squad as they are not playing enough. Bring in extra players to replace those three and add Mertens to the squad if we cannot get Nolito.
9 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:13:11
Great to hear him speak in glowing terms of the fans. I have a look on Twitter now and again and he did still get loads of messages off Evertonians. So fair play to them for not letting him forget his time here.
10 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:20:43
11 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:27:18
IÂve said it before but if he and Ross live up to their potential in the same team, weÂll not only qualify for the Champions League, weÂll make a big fucking noise in the process.
12 Posted 01/07/2015 at 18:51:31
HeÂs super talented but heÂs got a lot to live up to, itÂs all well and good having the talent but much like Barkley, you have to turn up and show it off in more games than not.
ItÂs a huge season for Barkley and Deulofeu together for much the same reasons and most of all because Evertonians expect!
13 Posted 01/07/2015 at 19:03:50
14 Posted 01/07/2015 at 19:10:05
IÂd been relegated to watching the game on the kitchen TV because the other half was watching the Corrie omnibus. My 14-year-old daughter entered just as I was doing my happy dance around the kitchen and gave me a look of sad incredulity. At that precise moment, I realised, whilst there is a breath in my body, I will always dance around the kitchen when we score.
So, just some more moments like that, Gerard and I will be a happy man.
15 Posted 01/07/2015 at 19:16:30
16 Posted 01/07/2015 at 19:09:52
17 Posted 01/07/2015 at 20:41:14
18 Posted 01/07/2015 at 20:37:26
Hopefully, heÂs gotten over himself and will apply all heÂs learned on the importance of TEAM playÂs allowance for displays of individual skills. And brings it all together to his and the ClubÂs benefit.
19 Posted 01/07/2015 at 20:48:48
20 Posted 01/07/2015 at 21:06:42
Gerry probably will "pass more to a man in the box" providing we actually get some friggin men in the box!
Too often last season we had one striker, Lukaku usually, playing out wide and attempting to cross the ball to who???
You could count on one hand the amount of times our midfielders got themselves in to scoring positions last season, when does Barkley ever get into a position where a tap-in may be available??
When do any of them apart from Leon Osman??
21 Posted 01/07/2015 at 21:27:23
22 Posted 01/07/2015 at 21:36:14
23 Posted 01/07/2015 at 21:50:27
Having said that, I really rate the lad, good signing, just canÂt stand the sycophantic quotes.
24 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:01:22
That said, he seemed to show Samp more love!
25 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:15:59
I feel that we need another player on the other side who has the same speed.
26 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:26:21
27 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:38:17
A front 3 out of him, Mirallas, Lukaku, Pienaar and... still looking light. We need at least 2 more (that No 10 and an other).
Come on you blues.
28 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:56:31
ItÂs a simple game, Gerard: beat your man and pop a cross in. Good luck.
29 Posted 01/07/2015 at 22:59:20
Welcome home, just do your best, you know you’re wanted by the majority of Everton fans. Make your mistakes, like every young player, but get us off our seats like the last time you were here and youÂll be okay.
Good luck, good health and hopefully help us to a cup final and that will do for starters.
31 Posted 01/07/2015 at 23:36:13
32 Posted 02/07/2015 at 01:03:06
33 Posted 02/07/2015 at 03:02:21
34 Posted 02/07/2015 at 07:18:11
I like your enthusiasm but the makings of a super team?? Villa had Cleverley along with the likes of Grealish and Benteke and Delph, it hardly made them a super team.
We know nothing at all about Henen expect IÂm asking myself, if he was that good why are Olympiakos so quick to offload him, and where are the other big clubs pursuing his signature? ItÂs one thing doing it at reserve standard but he could go on loan and completely go under in a physically tough league, thatÂs when you really need to judge him.
Garbutt we are told is not ready to replace a 31-year-old Leighton Baines yet.
Deulofeu, as with Barkley, has a lot of potential but, as with so many players, the hard part is living up to this hype – last season, not many did, apart from Stones.
35 Posted 02/07/2015 at 07:57:11
36 Posted 02/07/2015 at 08:49:27
As I understand it, the reason Olympiakos were Âso quick to offload him is because Everton had an agreement with them that they bought him last season and loaned him straight to Everton with an option to buy him for more than they paid in the first place. This deal was put in place because Anderlecht wanted too much money when Everton tried to sign him last year but accepted a lower amount from a non-Premier League team. The outcome is that we get him cheaper than we would have had to pay Anderlecht and Olympiakos made a profit for doing very little.
37 Posted 02/07/2015 at 08:49:57
Henen IÂve never seen and he will probably never play for us,; Cleverley is an average player, 2nd rate crap in my opinion; Garbutt is forever going to be BainesÂs understudy until either he leaves or Martinez drops him; and Deulofeu is exciting but far from being the finished article by any means.
We talk about Martinez overhyping too much and putting pressure on the players, we donÂt need fans doing the same thing because if we expect too much early on, very soon, youÂll get some on the players backs like last season.
38 Posted 02/07/2015 at 08:50:17
Baines is 32 in December! HeÂs not old but his powers will begin to wane over the next 12-18 months.
How old was Ashley Cole when Chelsea flogged him off? He was only 32 because, for a left back much like Baines, whose strengths were bombing down the flank and becoming like an auxiliary winger, once age catches up with your legs, you find that a harder task.
31 is not old but I believe we will see this coming season if Baines can ever recapture the best of his game that was exceptionally good between 2009-2013.
Or will injuries (something else harder to shake off once you hit early 30s) prevent him flowing again?
Whether itÂs Garbutt or whoever, one day in the not too distant future, we will need to replace Leighton Baines.
39 Posted 02/07/2015 at 09:19:33
Garbutt is in no way a direct replacement for Baines. Please do not kid yourselves! Our style will need to change to accommodate him.
They can both hit free kicks but thatÂs where the comparison ends.
DonÂt get me wrong, I think itÂs GarbuttÂs time to shine and think he will be a quality player but he doesnÂt have the pace/direct running of Seamus or Baines.
If Baines is coming to an end, the thing I will miss most about him is his underlapping runs. He is the best full back in the world at the underlap. I just wish (as a fellow blue) he would take Luke to the side and teach him the underlap.
Luke is more of a Âstay on the outside and cross kinda guy, which may suit Lukaku better?
40 Posted 02/07/2015 at 10:25:28
41 Posted 02/07/2015 at 14:14:37
42 Posted 02/07/2015 at 14:39:42
43 Posted 02/07/2015 at 14:49:43
It always leaves a feeling of frustration, when the Âflair players only get the last few minutes, even when you understand the tactical reason.
45 Posted 08/07/2015 at 18:41:09
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1 Posted 01/07/2015 at 17:39:46