Barcelona to complete £10.5m signing, could look to cash in

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Barcelona are reportedly set to activate their £10.5m buyback clause for Gerard Deulofeu, with Everton set to lose the Spanish winger.

The 23-year-old joined Everton on loan in 2013, before the Toffees signed him two years later with Barca holding an option to buy him back.

Having struggled to make a positive impression on Ronald Koeman last season, the Spanish international enjoyed a productive six-month loan spell at AC Milan, where he bagged four goals and three assists in 17 Serie A appearances.

According to The Times, having now finished that loan spell and returned to Everton for the start of next season, it looks as though Barcelona will spend the £10.5m to take him back to the Nou Camp.

Deulofeu is currently on international duty for the Spain U21 side at the European Championship in Poland, and so a decision on his future is unlikely to arrive until after he returns from that.

Nevertheless, the fact that he will return to Barcelona doesn’t necessarily guarantee that he will stay with the Catalan giants, even though he seemingly did enough last season to prove to them that he can be a useful addition to Ernesto Valverde’s squad.

A return to Milan can’t be ruled out at this stage with Barca potentially taking him back to merely sell him on and make a profit, and the Italian giants may well be keen on a second stint together, this time on a permanent basis.

What is clear though is that his time in the Premier League looks to be over for now, with Everton never really getting the best out of him on a consistent basis.

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