Gerard Deulofeu has admitted he 'didn't think twice' about joining Everton from Barcelona in 2013.
The Udinese forward spent a year on loan at Everton before a move to make the switch permanent failed. Everton eventually made the forward their own in July 2015.
Everton paid a reported £5.4 million for the Spaniard - a steal considering how he flourished during his first spell at the club.
Deulofeu went on to make 75 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, scoring eight times and registering 18 assists during that time.
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The Spaniard left for AC Milan in January 2017 before being sold back to Barcelona six months later for a fee worth £10.8 million.
“Everton was my real leap to the first division. I was 18 years old when I joined the Premier League, a very complicated league,” Deulofeu told Panenka.
“The story could have been different, but fate wanted me to grow up at Everton and not at Barça. There is nothing to reproach them for.
“I came from two very good years in the reserve team, playing at an impressive level. After debuting in La Liga and in the Champions League, I needed to play. At Barca, it was difficult to get minutes; there was a lot of competition. I didn’t think twice about Everton.
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“I ended up learning a lot; it was a very good period, especially under Roberto Martinez. To be able to step on the turf of incredible stadiums like Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge, or score a goal against Arsenal, was a real luxury for me.
“What I experienced at Everton when I was so young was crazy, wonderful. I didn’t get many minutes, but I was still able to play in a lot of games.
“The second period was much better. I had a very good season pairing up with Lukaku; I gave him a lot of assists.
“After that good period with Roberto Martinez, Koeman arrived, and I couldn’t continue. There are good times and bad times, things cooled down, and that’s it, that’s all.”
