The Everton winger produced a fantastic assist in the FA Cup against Leicester City – his first of the season.
Whether it is due to a perceived lack of effort of erratic end product, Gerard Deulofeu is certainly not in favour with Ronald Koeman at Everton.
The Spaniard appeared to have made a substantial step towards stardom last season with his dazzling, slaloming bursts and pinpoint crosses a reliable source of goals, particularly for main beneficiary Romelu Lukaku, in the final days of Roberto Martinez.
This season, however, only four league starts have come Deulofeu’s way while his appearance off the bench in Everton’s FA Cup clash with Leicester City on Saturday was his first in almost a month.
And although the 22-year-old once again highlighted the prodigious quality that could one day make him one of Europe’s most exciting attacking players en route to creating Lukaku’s opener with a burst acceleration and perfect pass, reports of a January exit continue to swirl.
Le10Sport claim Marseille want to mark owner Frank McCourt’s new era with Deulofeu’s signing while Calciomercato report that Serie A rivals AC Milan and Roma are going head-to-head for the former Barcelona youth in January.
Even Koeman’s recent claims that Everton would not sanction the winger’s sale due to injuries to Yannick Bolasie and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, per the Liverpool Echo, hardly suggest that the manager is thrilled to have Deulofeu at his disposal.
Nonetheless, the Dutchman will surely have been impressed by the youngster’s comments after Leicester turned round a deficit to win 2-1 at Goodison.
“I took my chance but it’s disappointing because we didn’t win. I don’t go home happy,” he told the club’s official website.
“I’m happy [for the assist] because I need to contribute more goals and assists, but the most important thing is winning the game.”
Deulofeu is yet to score or assist a single goal in the Premier League this season but at least he is aware of where he needs to improve.
That is a start and his Everton future could depend on it.
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