The Italian press have for weeks reporting AC Milan are set to go behind Everton’s back and negotiate a Gerard Deulofeu transfer with Barcelona. That would see the Catalan club using their €12m clause and then selling him on to Milan for a reasonable, and very quick, profit.
There’s been claims of talks already being initiated and all this continued despite it being on public record Everton have protected themselves from such a scenario.
Former Everton manager Roberto Martinez explained in 2015: “There are certain things in the deal. 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 €9m for the first year and €12m 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.”
Everton’s protection in the buyback clause is slowly getting through to the Italian media, who will have to change their claims accordingly. First up was Tuttosport who reckon Milan would try and get another season loan, this time from Barcelona.
It’s explained that Barcelona would have to pay a fine to Everton, but Milan would cover that amount as a loan fee. Even if that is possible, and there’s serious doubts over that, it doesn’t sound a great scenario for Barcelona.
After another year loan at Milan, Barcelona would still have to pay Everton ‘a big percentage’ if they then sold the player.
The clauses are clearly on Everton’s side, but it’s also clear the Italian media are keen for Milan to do anything they can to wriggle around the deal and save a few million.
