Everton are set to make another bid for £25 million-rated Watford ace Abdoulaye Doucoure but they will face competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham, according to the Standard.
While we haven’t quite reached ‘Southampton to Liverpool’ levels, the path from Vicarage Road to Goodison Park is becoming quite worn underfoot.
Everton raided Watford for Marco Silva and Richarlison in 2018 and, two years on, Doucoure could be about to join his former Hornets teammate on Merseyside.
You would have been forgiven in assuming that Everton’s interest in the French midfielder died once Silva was shown his P45. But it seems that Carlo Ancelotti shares his predecessor’s admiration for the former Rennes enforcer.
The Toffees have seen an initial offer rejected but, according to the Standard, they will soon make a new bid which comes closer to Watford’s £25 million valuation.
A fearsome physical specimen who boasts underrated levels of class and technique, Doucoure at his best is something of a budget version of Yaya Toure. And, with 16 goals in the last three Premier League seasons combined, he certainly offers a threat in the final third too.
The Standard claims that Wolves and a newly-promoted Fulham outfit are now expected to rival Everton for his signature.
Nuno Espirito Santo has made it clear that he wants to boost one of the league’s smallest squads with new faces and the bullish, barnstorming Doucoure would add some force to the finesse of Joao Moutinho or Ruben Neves.
With the Mail reporting that Fulham are interested in Benfica ball-winner Florentino Luis, Scott Parker obviously feels the need for some extra quality in midfield.
“I want to stay in the Premier League, that’s my main wish. Then we’ll see what’s on offer, or not, for me this summer,” Doucoure said in February.
“If a big club manages to make an interesting offer for me, of course the club will let me leave, easily.”
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