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Cape Town - Watford have set an asking price of €40 million for exciting winger Gerard Deulofeu amid links with Serie A giants AC Milan.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, who specialises in transfer talk for Sky Sport Italia, claims Deulofeu would consider handing in a transfer request to secure a return to AC Milan.
Earlier this year the same journalist asserted Deulofeu would return to the San Siro “in a heartbeat“.
That claim was made in the wake of the Spaniard’s stunning display off the bench in the FA Cup semi-final after he grabbed a superb brace to spark Watford’s 3-2 comeback win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wembley.
Deulofeu signed a five-year deal at Vicarage Road when he joined for a reported fee of €12 million in June 2018 from Barcelona.
But the Catalan club were canny enough to include a clause in the deal that entitles them to a percentage of any profit Watford made on him and that is why the club are ready to hold out for big money.
Romano states that Watford would only start negotiations at €40 million – which is too high for struggling Milan.
The Rossoneri have fond memories of Deulofeu from his 2017 loan spell at the club, during which he scored four goals in 17 Serie A appearances.
He was with parent club Everton at that point, but Barcelona craftily used their buy-back clause to take him back before selling him to Watford for a profit.
His market value has rocketed over the past 18 months and Watford are well aware of his desire to play for a club on a bigger stage, like Milan.
Earlier this month, his agent Albert Botines, refused to rule out a return to the Italian giants.
"He remained very tied to Milan and could return one day but we have to see how things evolve,” he told Sky. “Milan fans message him on social media asking him to return. Gerard loves Serie A and Italian football so something might happen in the future."
- TeamTalk Media
