Barcelona activate £10.6m buy-back clause to re-sign Gerard Deulofeu from Everton

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Gerard Deulofeu from Everton after activating a €12m (£10.6m, $13.7m) buy-back clause inserted into his contract when he was sold to the Premier League side in the summer of 2015.

The 23-year-old winger was once considered the jewel of the Barcelona academy, breaking records within the club's youth ranks before enjoying a remarkable campaign with the second team in 2012-2013 where he scored 18 goals in the second division of Spanish football.

The talented winger also helped Spain to win two consecutive Under-19 European Championships in 2011 and 2012 but failed to fulfil huge expectation in successive loan spells at Everton and Sevilla.

Barcelona thus decided to sell him to Everton, then managed by Roberto Martinez, in the summer of 2015.

Deulofeu showed glimpses of his talent on Merseyside but in January, Ronald Koeman decided to send him on loan to AC Milan for the second part of the 2016-2017 campaign.

The Spaniard managed to rediscover his best form in Serie A and in April Barcelona's technical secretary Robert Fernandez suggested the La Liga giants were ready to bring him back to the Nou Camp by triggering a €12m buy-back clause.

Deulofeu later put the deal under some scrutiny, amid suggestions that he wanted guarantees over his role at Barcelona before making a final decision.

The winger is currently focused on the Under-21 European Championship, having helped Spain to book a place in the final against Germany.

It had been said that he was hesitant to make the move back to Barcelona amid concerns that his playing time at the Nou Camp will be limited due to the presence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

However, Barcelona have now confirmed his return to Ernesto Valverde's side, with the buy-back option included in his Everton deal set to expire at the end of the day ( Friday 30 June).

"FC Barcelona have activated the buy-back clause for Gerard Deulofeu. In the following days, the terms will be agreed with both Everton and the player. Deulofeu's contract will run until 30 June 2019," the club have confirmed.

Deulofeu becomes the Catalans' second signing of the summer having also activated an option to make Marlon Santos' loan move from Fluminense permanent.