Everton sign Barca youngster Deulofeu

Everton have secured the signing of Barcelona prodigy Gerard Deulofeu on a season-long loan.

The 19-year-old winger scored 18 goals in 33 games for Barca’s B team last season as they secured a comfortable ninth-placed finish in the Segunda Division.

Deulofeu also made four appearances for the Catalans’ senior side and has been tipped as a star for the future at Camp Nou.

And Everton manager Roberto Martinez is excited to have secured such a precocious talent for his squad as he prepares for his first season as boss at Goodison Park.

He told the club’s official website: “Gerard is a real diamond of Spanish football and a boy with incredible footballing talent and I am delighted that he has chosen to take the next step of his career with Everton.”

A seven-time Spain Under-21 international, Deulofeu recently netted twice in four appearances for his country at the Under-20 World Cup, in which they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Uruguay.