Deulofeu out until pre-season with knee injury

, 2 May, 37comments | Jump to most recent

Gerard Deulofeu's season has been ended prematurely by a knee strain sustained in training last week.

The Spaniard was apparently injured in a clash with striker Oumar Niasse during a practice game at Finch Farm.

Deulofeu won't recover in time from a minor medial ligament injury to take part in any of the three remaining fixtures.

Deulofeu returned to Goodison Park last summer on a permanent deal worth £4.2m and made 26 32 appearances in all for the Blues this season, 19 as a starter and 13 off the bench scoring two goals.

Reader Comments (37)

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Phil Walling
1 Posted 02/05/2016 at 18:21:56

Sorry for the lad but can see this being added to the list of excuses !

Patrick Carty
2 Posted 02/05/2016 at 18:28:26

He had a great start to the season but it's all gone a bit pear shaped. Let's hope he comes back fighting fit for next season.

The lad needs to be a lot fitter and given a good run in the side if we are going to see the best out of him.

Colin Glassar
3 Posted 02/05/2016 at 18:32:19

And just as we were coming into such an important part of the season

Gerry Quinn
4 Posted 02/05/2016 at 19:04:03

He'll have his moment then

Jim Hardin
5 Posted 02/05/2016 at 19:07:33

Thank goodness it wasn't his wrist. Who knows how long he would be out then.

Darryl Ritchie
6 Posted 02/05/2016 at 19:17:18

Jim, lol

Minik Hansen
7 Posted 02/05/2016 at 19:36:58

With Mirallas going and a new manager in, he will have an opportunity to kick start the next season with his abilities, operating a slightly different upfront, with a new football philosophy and (Lukaku going) a different striker/two strikers to feed. COYB.

James Stewart
8 Posted 02/05/2016 at 19:50:15

I hope he comes back fitter next season, there is no excuse for a professional not being able to complete 90 minutes however talented he may be.

That said we are simply a better side when he plays so I hope he is a regular starter under the new manager come August.

Phill Thompson
9 Posted 02/05/2016 at 20:02:39

All part of the plan to avoid the Barca buy back option. Another season to go then we can unleash his full potential. Meanwhile, get yer holiday in early Gerri and start your pre season two weeks before the rest of them , our new manager will be impressed.

Barry McNally
10 Posted 02/05/2016 at 20:08:21

Would sacrafice Deulofeu for Emery.

Phil Roberts
11 Posted 02/05/2016 at 20:11:55

His photo on the ToffeeWeb banner. Is he calling for a taxi for Roberto?

Ray Smith
12 Posted 02/05/2016 at 20:27:24

I don't think Gerri and Roberto will be exchanging Xmas cards.

Perhaps Gerri gave it to him in a language (Spanish) that he understands, and has suffered for it ever since. Cameo role at best. Where has he been for the last 10 fixtures. Is Gerri a bit player?

Don't think so, crossed Roberto and payed for it, just like Leighton (refuse to use his surname). Cross him at your peril!!!

Bob Hannigan
13 Posted 02/05/2016 at 21:05:38

Jim Hardin # 5, great line!
Unfortunately we need to maintain our sense of humor when all else is crashing around us.

Dave Ganley
15 Posted 02/05/2016 at 21:14:48

I'd like to say he will be missed but............another fine example of a young player completely unfullfilling his potential under our glorious leader

Jim Bennings
16 Posted 02/05/2016 at 21:32:42

Not convinced Gerri will ever be more than an impact sub at best, no further down the line really since his first spell here, a sub then, a sub at Seville and mainly a sub this season.

Peter Carpenter
17 Posted 02/05/2016 at 21:40:05

Barry (10), Dick Emery?

Andrew Heffernan
19 Posted 02/05/2016 at 23:08:10

Agree Jim, sad but likely true; definitely under the current incumbent!

Keith Harrison
20 Posted 02/05/2016 at 23:21:43

Has no one on the medical team or at Finch Farm spotted yet that he is a chronic asthmatic, which is why he starts auxiliary breathing through his arsehole after 25 minutes?

Charlie Lloyd
21 Posted 03/05/2016 at 00:09:51

Let's face it.

He started really well but come December went off the boil and hasn't recovered since as the team has struggled. Coupled with Lennons purple patch from Jan to Mar I can see how his opportunities became less frequent.

I don't really buy into this "crossed Martinez" conspiracy on this one. It was just rank bad form and maybe poor application from the player as a whole. I blame Martinez for many things but not this one.

If Deulofeu wants to be a top player he needs to shape up. Let's not forget his mixed season with Seville as well.

Baz McCann
22 Posted 03/05/2016 at 00:41:32

He has superb ability.

What's more... I think he gets what Everton FC all about.

Wishing him all best with recovery.

Karl Masters
23 Posted 03/05/2016 at 01:01:07

Like many of them clearly has the ability, but does he have the attitude and is he fit enough. He sums up the whole squad really.

Gary Sedgwick
24 Posted 03/05/2016 at 04:43:19

Deulofeu returned to Goodison Park last summer on a permanent deal worth £4.2m and made 26 appearances in all for the Blues this season, 19 as a starter and 13 off the bench scoring two goals.

Now I know why our financial situation is so bad - 19 + 13 = 32. Elstone needs to sort this out!

Phil Walling
25 Posted 03/05/2016 at 06:01:07

I just wonder what Moyes will make of him !

Shane Corcoran
26 Posted 03/05/2016 at 10:33:42

Jim #5, I almost didn't bother check TW such is the apathy but glad I did for your comment.

Terence Tyler
27 Posted 03/05/2016 at 10:34:18

Needs a manager who insists on his players being fit

Keith Monaghan
28 Posted 03/05/2016 at 11:42:39

Another player like Ross – no strength of character, not fit enough, lazy & promises much but delivers very little.

He might do OK with right guidance etc but his track record is not good at the top level – failed at Seville & Barca don't get rid of top players.

The buy-back clause is just a cheap insurance policy – no chance they'll take it up on the evidence to date.

Liam Reilly
29 Posted 03/05/2016 at 12:04:57

Football is simple: be fitter than your opponents. This side is not fit and unfit players will always be prone to injuries.

Fittest teams in the league; Tottenham and Leicester; who have hardly had a key injury all season is no coincidence. .

Barca, AtlÃ©tico, Bayern and now Tottenham and Kloop's Liverpool all press on the ball high up the pitch and all have the same ethos; 3 second rule to get the ball back when its lost.

Simple: work your arses off in pre-season to reap the benefits at the business end. Change of Manager required to implement.

Paul Cherrington
30 Posted 03/05/2016 at 13:07:16

The fitness issue is so key, as others above have pointed out. Until we have a fit side, we have no chance to implement any other strategy or tactic properly.

Paul Williams
31 Posted 03/05/2016 at 13:19:33

I suppose there was a risk of some awesome displays in our last three critical games and Barcelona would have snapped him up for £6million.

Kevin Elliott
32 Posted 03/05/2016 at 13:30:03

Oooohhhh Peter@17. You are awful...but I like you.

Anto Byrne
33 Posted 03/05/2016 at 15:37:00

Aussie rules players have a pre season that lasts for 5 months gee those guys can run for 120 minutes. Imagine getting our boys that fit and that strong. What do they do at Finch Farm? Sandhills at Southport used to be the norm. Definitely time to sort out the malaise and complacent attitude Roberto has instilled.

Lee Courtliff
34 Posted 03/05/2016 at 15:55:59

We had super fit sides under Moyes yet started nearly every season in sluggish form.

We all blamed the sub par opponents in pre season.

Simply getting the players fit isn't enough otherwise we would have actually won something under Moyes.

Paul Tran
35 Posted 03/05/2016 at 19:25:26

I always got the impression Moyes over trained them preseason. We often looked leggy early in the season and looked very strong last three months. I remember Fellaini's parting shot that they wouldn't be fit enough under Martinez, who clearly errs too far on the easy side.

How about a manager who can get the balance right?

Simon Hermansen
36 Posted 04/05/2016 at 06:54:52

Could be a world beater with the right manager guiding him

James Watts
37 Posted 05/05/2016 at 00:50:50

Might as well start him in the next game as it's not like he's been fit all season anyway and can last longer than 10 minutes...

Patrick Murphy
38 Posted 05/05/2016 at 13:46:57

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton remain confident Gerard Deulofeu will not require surgery on his season-ending knee injury.
The 22-year-old suffered a grade one tear of his medial knee ligament after a freak training ground accident with Oumar Niasse last Friday.

Oops! Niasse's cost to Everton goes up by the day!

James Marshall
39 Posted 06/05/2016 at 13:37:37

At least Niasse has now done something of note.

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