Martinez: Gerard will be with Everton next season or back at Barca
Everton manager Roberto Martinez is confident that flying winger Gerard Deulofeu will remain on Merseyside next season despite reported interest from AC Milan. The on-loan Barcelona star was in great form for Everton before injury curtailed his playing time, but he is now back from injury and raring to go.
Martinez did say that Deulofeu could still end up back in the Barcelona first team squad, but said that they initially discussed a 2 year plan with the club when he first signed and has no reason to think it will be anything different.
Martinez said: “If Gerard needs another year on loan, I think it is going to be with Everton. If not, he’ll be at Barcelona. I don’t think he’s going to go elsewhere on loan.
“When we sat down in the summer, we talked about Gerard being maybe two years away from the first team at Barcelona.
“We’ve been very happy with the way he is developing and, before his injury, he had reached such a level that everyone thought he might be ready for the Barcelona squad. But it all depends on Barcelona.”
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