1 Everton could look to build on their Gerard Deulofeu loan by signing more Barcelona youngsters

Roberto Martinez turned heads by marrying great football with strong results at Everton last year, and as a result his reputation is beginning to grow back on his home turf.

The Catalan has an excellent relationship with Barcelona thanks to his masterful handling of Gerard Deulofeu during the forward’s loan spell at Goodison Park last season and now reports in Spain claim the La Liga side are willing to send two more players to work under Martinez. A particular pair of youngsters from the club’s B team look ready for the next step up, and Goodison could be the ideal destination for them to do that.

In many ways Barcelona’s B team is the perfect training ground for their brightest talents, but in recent years the club has started to explore other options in order to aid their development. As excellent at Barca B are, the step up between second division football and competing for Champions League and La Liga crowns is quite significant, so loaning players out to top flight sides has proven a useful way of bridging that gap. Not only was this shown last year with Deulofeu at Everton, but Rafinha Alcantara also shone at Celta Vigo.

Adama Traore

The first young player who looks a strong candidate to end up at Goodison is Adama Traore. The wide forward started off with Barcelona’s Juvenil A (U19) side last season, but quickly moved on to the B team, and before the end of the season the second division was already looking too small for the Catalan’s talents. The evidence of that came when Adama was selected in the Spanish second division’s team of the season, and after making his Barcelona first team debut last year, he’s in desperate need of a fresh challenge to ensure his development continues. Along with his quick feet, the forward is known for his tireless work rate and sprinting prowess, leading to comparisons with Ajax legend Marc Overmars. While his physical attributes suggest Adama would be an ideal Premier League player, his intelligence shouldn’t be overlooked either. The youngster isn’t just about blind pace and energy, he possesses the mind of a Barcelona player. Sure to excite Everton fans if he ends up in Liverpool next year.

Jean Marie Dongou

Striker Jean Marie Dongou is a natural goalscorer who could also do with a change of scenery after an up and down season with Barcelona B. Despite not quite setting the world alight in the 2013/14 Liga Adelante, the forward still managed to score a respectable nine goals while assisting four more in all competitions last season, which is no small feat for a 19-year-old, and his reputation is so big among experienced coaches at the club that it’s safe to expect more from him next year. Dongou would be at the World Cup with Cameroon this summer had he not rejected the opportunity due to a poor relationship with national coach Volker Finke, so it isn’t only within Barcelona that he’s considered a player capable of producing the goods at the highest level. The striker possesses a brilliant first touch, dribbles well, shows tireless movement and, most crucially, has a natural eye for goal, so he could be an extremely cost-effective option for Everton up front next season, particularly when keeping in mind the increased demands placed on the squad by Europa League football.

Toffees, would you be happy to see these Barcelona players on loan at Goodison next season? Let us know below…