Watford have secured the signature of Gerard Deulofeu from Barcelona on a 5-year contract for a fee of €13 million, the club have confirmed.
Deulofeu’s Already A Fan Favourite
Deulofeu spent the latter half of last season on loan at Vicarage road, and it didn’t take him long to endear himself to the Watford faithful.
The 24-year-old made seven appearances for the club following his move in January this year, the most memorable of which was his debut. He put in a dazzling performance, scoring once as the Hornets ripped former champions Chelsea apart in a 4-1 win.
“We are very pleased to welcome Gerard back to Vicarage Road and thank FC Barcelona for their part in concluding this deal,” said Watford Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury.
“Our ambition to succeed and grow in the Premier League remains as strong as ever.”
Barcelona, meanwhile, confirmed his departure on their official website in an article that read:
“FC Barcelona and Watford FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Gerard Deulofeu to the English club. They have agreed on a fee of 13 million euros, plus 4 million in variables. FC Barcelona will also receive a percentage of any future transfer operations to other clubs.”
Deulofeu has known for quite a while that he had no future at Barcelona, and has openly stated his desire to leave in the past. He was also, quite tellingly, left out of the list of names on a special t-shirt commemorating the Catalan club’s La Liga triumph, despite making 17 appearances for them last season.
The La Masia graduate returns for his fourth spell in the Premier League, having had two prior spells at Everton. He has also played for Sevilla and AC Milan and boasts a wealth of experience despite his relatively young age.
Deulofeu also has four international caps for Spain to his name, but has been left out of the squad that will compete at the World Cup in Russia. With a full summer’s rest ahead of him, Watford will hope to have him fit and firing ahead of the new campaign.
