2017-18 FC Barcelona Player Profiles: Gerard Deulofeu
With Neymar’s departure to PSG, Gerard Deulofeu is going to be thrown into the fire as the Barcelona season begins.
There was a time just a few years ago when Gerard Deulofeu was seen by many as the next big thing to come out of La Masia. As a youth player and for the B team the talent was unquestionable. Fast forward to 2017, Deulofeu has since left Barcelona on loan to Everton, Sevilla and most recently Milan and returned to the club this summer for a fee of 12 million euros.
With the sale of Neymar and Barcelona looking for options on the wing, Deulofeu’s return to the club comes at a key time for both he and the club. The club is searching for answers after losing the Brazilian superstar. Meanwhile, Deulofeu is looking to find a place in the Barca team after being loaned out.
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For Deulofeu, this really does seem like the last shot at a career with FC Barcelona. When he was first loaned out, the concerns were not with his talent but rather the mental aspect of the game. On the ball, the raw talent is there: Deulofeu is a player with prolific pace and the ability to take on players 1 v. 1 and create havoc for opposing defenses.
Where Deulofeu needs to improve if he wants to make an impact is his decision-making. So many times over the last few years Deulofeu has had plays where he makes the right run and gets behind the defense only to misplace a pass or hold on to the ball for too long.
With the loss of Neymar on the wing, all eyes are on Gerard Deulofeu more than anyone at the club right now. Deulofeu while not as gifted as Neymar possesses that ability to make a defender miss. We will see if he can perform well this season.