Gerard Deulofeu spoke highly of Everton supporters as he discussed his two stints on Merseyside with the club
Gerard Deulofeu celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Stoke City. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Gerard Deulofeu celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Everton and Stoke City. Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
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Former Everton favourite Gerard Deulofeu said he would love one more game as a Blue as he reflected on his connection with the club.
The winger linked up with the likes of John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku as he clocked up 75 games across two stints in Royal Blue.
Those days were among his fondest memories as he reflected on his career, one he is fighting to save after a devastating three-year battle with injury.
In an interview with Everton, the 31-year-old said: “The good thing about Everton is that I was very happy during both stints. I played very well and had a great time with my teammates and I think I adapted very well to the Premier League. I was a regular until the last spell when [Ronald] Koeman arrived. I played quite a lot under Roberto Martinez, which is why I played in so many matches - I was very happy and, to be honest, I have very fond memories of my time at Everton.”
Deulofeu spent the 2013-14 season on loan from Barcelona before returning to Spain and having a season under Unai Emery at Sevilla. A positive start ended with frustration as he struggled for minutes - though he did leave with a Europa League winners’ medal.
In the summer of 2015 he returned to Everton on a permanent deal and once again became a popular figure under Roberto Martinez before falling out of favour after the arrival of Koeman.
On his favourite memories of those spells on Merseyside, he said: “For me, it is one of the most important clubs in my career. My best memory is the connection with the fans, my connection with the Evertonians, with the Toffees, was incredible. My teammates were really good during my two spells at Everton. The goals, my machine gun celebration [I have] lots of good memories - the away matches when lots of Everton fans turned up - 2,000, 3,000 people travelling by train and the way they supported us, it was really nice and I have very fond memories. Honestly, I’d like to play another game for Everton.”
Deulofeu’s career has since taken in stints at AC Milan and again at Barcelona before a return to Italy with Udinese. It was there that disaster struck.
The former Spanish youth international’s injury nightmare started against Napoli in November 2022 and he hasn’t played a competitive match since he came on as a 77th- minute substitute in Udinese’s 1-0 Serie A win at Sampdoria the following January, when he was forced to go off himself with a serious knee injury in stoppage time.
A cartilage infection severely undermined his comeback and he is yet to return to the pitch. Now hoping that stem cell treatment can help him return, he is facing a battle against his body and biology to achieve his dream of playing again. There have been positive indications of real progress in recent months.
Against the hope inspired by those developments, Deulofeu took to social media recently to thank supporters for their backing through his long fight. He said Everton fans had been a significant and consistent source of strength for him.
He wrote: “It makes me very happy all the affection you send me with messages of encouragement after the situation I'm living. The most beautiful thing is that I receive them from fans of each and every club I've been to and it excites me to think that with my football I could reach your hearts and now you return it to me with so much love.”