Gerard Deulofeu Must Leave Barcelona to Take His Career Forward

Gerard Deulofeu continues to split opinions among the Barcelona fraternity.

He's young player of immense natural talent, but he appears to lack the perfect ingredient to become a household name: hard work.

Deulofeu has flattered to deceive for a while now, and it appears Barca have had enough.

Having already sent him to Sevilla at the 11th hour last season, just a few days after parading him in Blaugrana alongside the returning Rafinha Alcantara, the Catalans are now ready to sell him permanently to Everton.

According to Sky Sports' Guillem Balague, Roberto Martinez is about to land the player, who had previously been on loan at Goodison Park, on a long-term deal: "Deulofeu is going to be transferred to Everton. €3m with an option of FCB to re-buy him later on for a price. He didn't want to go on loan."

Although a Premier League move and the potential of regular first-team football will suit the player at this stage, not making it at the club where he has been since nine years of age must leave a sour taste.

But he has only himself to blame, and he needs to move away from Camp Nou to further his own lofty ambitions.

Clint Hughes/Associated Press

At Barca B, Deulofeu was the talisman of the team. If a virtuoso display was required, the youngster invariably pressed all the right buttons.

Scoring and creating from nothing were commonplace in a youth team that was exciting going forward but not defensively. 

MANU FERNANDEZ/Associated Press

It didn't seem to matter how many goals were shipped, as Deulofeu would always come up with the goods at the opposite end.

Yet he never really progressed from there. 

Tito Vilanova and Tata Martino were not impressed with the youngster's attitude and application. Neither was Luis Enrique or Sevilla's Unai Emery.

Emery told Sid Lowe of the Guardian, "He has incredible qualities but lacks others. Put him out there, one on one and ... pfff. But make him play football with team-mates, on a big pitch, and it's hard. He doesn’t have the maturity or capacity for sacrifice yet."

In many respects, Martinez seems to be the only manager to this point who has gotten something resembling a team work ethic out of the player.

The dribbling skills were still put to good use, and perhaps that's where Martinez won the battle—by not trying to constrain Deulofeu's natural wanderlust and adding different elements to his game piecemeal.

The hope has to be that the youngster will respond to Martinez's astute tutelage again, as this looks like the last-chance saloon for Deulofeu in terms of carving out a career at a big club.

Two to three years ago, there wasn't even a hint that he would end up as a journeyman professional, but such a scenario is looking ever more likely.

Decision-making remains his biggest weakness, and that will be precisely what stops this young man from becoming a more polished performer.

That he has not adapted this detail of his game is a cause for concern, but Martinez appears to be convinced he is the right person to get the best out of him.

Hopefully, the Sevilla experience has taught Deulofeu a valuable lesson.

He can become a hero on Merseyside if he wants, but if he fails to heed the warning signs again, his dreams of superstardom will be crushed.