Scouting Gerard Deulofeu (Video)
One man who is currently dazzling us at the Under-20 World Cup is Barcelona youngster, Gerard Deulofeu. Football enthusiasts like myself have held the young winger in high regard since his exploits at the Under-19 European Championships in 2011 and 2012. He is seen by some as the most talented player to come out of La Masia since a certain Lionel Messi.
The agile forward won the Golden Player award in 2012 and has continued that form in this tournament. Despite only making a handful of senior appearances for Barcelona, they are aware of his obvious talents and will not be selling Deulofeu. He may be sent out on loan to get experience for one year as the likes of Neymar, Alexis Sanchez, Cristian Tello and Pedro are obviously ahead of him in the pecking order for now. But Barca will not want to lose him on a permanent deal.
In terms of playing style, Deulofeu has uncanny similarities to Messi at a young age and although he it is almost impossible to develop as much as the Argentine has, he certainly has a shot at being one of the finest talents in Europe. When I first saw him play back in 2011, I was astounded at how good his touch was. His skill on the ball is exceptional and he loves to cut in from the left wing and shoot on his preferred right foot, as shown by his sublime goal in Spain Under-20s recent win over the USA.
His direct running and skill with the ball makes it very difficult for defenders to stop him and you can tell he has been brought up at Barca because of the composure he shows whilst on the ball. He has an awareness of the space around him and where his teammates are. His understanding with Jese Rodriguez has been plain for all to see at the current tournament.
Added to all this he possesses lightning pace, which makes him a nightmare to defend against. His low centre of gravity makes it easy for him to dribble and turn defenders without them getting a chance to react.
There is no doubt that we will be hearing the name Gerard Deulofeu for many years to come. Just imagine a team with Isco, Thiago, Jese and Deulofeu in in the future. Unreal.
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