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Pre-season is not a time usually hotly anticipated by footballers, but it cannot come quick enough for Everton’s Gerard Deulofeu.

The winger is following a special rehabilitation programme to ensure he will be fit for the new season, and the Spaniard is determined to ensure the Blues have a happier Premier League campaign than the disappointing term that ended with manager Roberto Martinez being fired last month.

After an inconsistent 2016, Deulofeu impressed in a 20-minute cameo in the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United at Wembley in April.

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But his hopes of kicking on were dashed when his season was ended a few days later by a knee injury suffered in a freak training ground accident with Oumar Niasse.

Deulofeu will spend his summer adhering to an individual training plan and is confident of being available when the squad reconvenes for pre-season training next month.

“I played 20 minutes at Wembley very well, and I wanted to play the last three or four games better and it was unlucky (that I got injured),” the Spaniard told the Liverpool Echo.

“Now it’s time for me to think about next season. I hope next season is much better than this one.

“I worked hard two weeks before May 15 when the season finished.

“But Everton have given me a plan for my summer and I will do the plan. I’m a professional.

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“I’m so excited for the start of pre-season. I hope next year is much better and Everton stay near the top of the league.”

Of his summer plans, Deulofeu added: “I’ll go to Barcelona and maybe Ibiza or Marbella for a relax.

“I meet up with former colleagues all the time. I see Denis Suarez, Alex Vidal, a lot of players.

“You work all year and in the holidays you can stay with your friends from other teams.”