Barcelona winger joins Watford on loan

Javi Gracia has brought in Gerard Deulofeu on loan from Barcelona as his first signing.

Deulofeu will be on loan at the club until the end of the season with Watford covering his wages as well as a potential add-on of €1 million. Barcelona brought the Spanish winger back to Barcelona in the summer through the use of a buy-back clause.

However, he has flattered to deceive in the chances that he has been given and it appears Ernesto Valverde has lost patience. Being outshone by José Arnaiz, a Barcelona B player, in a Copa del Rey match against Real Murcia certainly didn’t help his cause.

The issue with Deulofeu is his footballing intelligence; he has all the necessary traits to be a top player but his thinking lets him down in crucial moments. At a club such as Barcelona this is magnified due to the limited opportunities and time that the opposition give them. He has all the tools to be a decisive player, but he lacks the end product that he desperately needs to be a real attacking threat.

This doesn’t mean he can’t succeed at Watford, though. At a smaller club he could thrive in the space that is available; the attacking weapons the Hornets have pale in comparison to Barcelona. Therefore, teams are likely to be a lot more open against Watford than they were against the Catalan giants. His promising performances for AC Milan were what convinced Barcelona to buy him back from Everton. He is only 23-years-old as well so he has plenty of time to develop.

High expectations

The issue with Deulofeu is the high expectations that have surrounded him since he was a youth player. He’s only had brief periods of promise before eventually disappointing those who believed in him. These brief stints have invariably come away from the spotlight, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him have a good second half of the season.

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Javi Gracia is a manager who always has a plan for how he intends to approach a game. This could suit Deulofeu because a role with specific instructions could see him thrive due to taking away the pressure of decisions in key moments. Patience and good coaching will certainly help him develop and hopefully Gracia is the manager who can coax the best out of him. He has experience in the Premier League from his time at Everton. Therefore, he should be able to adapt quickly which could help Watford turn around their season.