Barcelona were reportedly frustrated with Chelsea's capture of Ross Barkley.
And Deulofeu apparently told his manager that Barkley has the potential to be better than what he currently has at his disposal.
The claim is incredibly huge given the likes of Andres Iniesta, Paulinho and Ivan Rakitic currently occupy the central midfield roles at the Nou Camp.
Don Balon add that Barca fear Barkley will be a bonus to the Chelsea squad for their Champions League clash next month.
Chelsea host the Catalan outfit on February 20, before the second leg takes place on March 14.
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Barkley moved for £15million this week.
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Both sides will be hoping to book a place in the quarter-finals with victory.
Barca are even more desperate to win the competition after watching their La Liga rivals Real Madrid clinch the trophy for the last two years.
But they face a tricky tie against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16, making the route to the final that little bit easier for the victor.