The winger looks set for Serie A and AC Milan but Everton should remind themselves of Liverpool’s mistake and pull the plug.
With Gerard Deulofeu’s reported move to AC Milan looking increasingly like a done deal according to Tuttosport, Everton fans have a right to be wary.
Yes, the enigmatic winger has not scored a goal, nor assisted one either, in six months of Premier League football this season. Yes, his erratic performances and questionable work ethic were never going to mesh well with Koeman’s disciplinarian tactics.
But against Leicester City in the FA Cup on Saturday, Deulofeu offered a timely reminder of why he was viewed as Spain’s most exciting breakthrough star just a few short years ago.
Gliding past the Foxes’ defence with a burst of acceleration and mesmerising control, the former Barcelona starlet served up the opener on a garnished plate for Romelu Lukaku.
Therefore, it seems a little premature for Everton to cast him off now and proclaim his potential unfulfilled. He is just 22, after all. Wingers at that age are rarely anything other than maddeningly frustrating.
Furthermore, Everton need only look at the rejuvenation of another Spaniard in Milan colours as a reminder that patience often pays off. You could argue that Suso, released by Liverpool in the summer of 2015, has been the most exciting, effective attacking midfielder in the whole of Serie A this season.
With five goals and six assists from the right, including two dazzling strikes in the Milan derby, the 23-year-old is spearheading the Rossoneri’s attempted return to the Champions League while ensuring that a debut Spain call-up is an inevitability.
As it stands, however, it seems Everton have learned little from their Merseyside rivals’ mistake.
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