Martinez reveals Barca’s Deulofeu buy-back clause

Gerard Deulofeu: Barca buy-back clause

Gerard Deulofeu: Barca buy-back clause

Everton boss Roberto Martinez says Barcelona have got a buy-back clause on Gerard Deulofeu at the end of the season.

The Catalan winger, who signed from Barcelona for just £4.2million in the summer, has been in impressive form for the Blues this season, making five assists in his last seven outings.

He also netted his first Premier League goal this season against Sunderland and Martinez has revealed his delight at capturing the 21-year-old for a bargain price after his loan spell in 2013/14.

That price meant Barca inserted a buy-back clause for the wideman and Martinez has explained the details of the contract.

Suggestions have been made that Barca might re-sign Deulofeu even if they had no intention of playing him just so they could make a profit on him but that idea has been dismissed by Martinez.

“They can’t do that. There are certain things in the deal,” said Martinez. “They can’t take him back in the winter so they can’t take him back in January. It can only be at the end of the season. It is 9million Euros for the first year and 12million Euros in the second year.

“If they take him back they can’t sell him for a season, so he has to stay in the first-team squad for a season.

“At the end of that if they decide to sell him we have got first rights of getting him back or we have got a big percentage of that deal. There is nothing we can do if they activate it.

“That was the deal and the only way we could access the player in the terms that we wanted. I’m delighted with the deal.

“For us to have a player of that quality for the money we paid, if we lose him it will be on a profit financially so we would be able to use the money. And you want the player.

“You’re talking about a Barcelona player who has been all through his years as the golden boy believing he is going to be at the top level at Barcelona and we got him for a very good price.

“I’d like to tell Barcelona that he’s rubbish but they come to watch our games.”