Abdoulaye Doucoure is set to leave Everton at the end of the season as Everton do not look to extend his contract.
Doucoure, who was integral for Everton in their survival hopes over the last three seasons, including scoring the goal that kept them up on the last day of the season in the 2022/23 campaign is now expected to leave the club at the end of the season.
Everton decided not to activate Doucoure’s one year contract extension, with Everton already having their long-term replacement lined-up in Charly Alcaraz, who joined on loan from Flamengo in January.
Everton have a mandatory buy option if Alcaraz plays a set number of games. The price is believed to be somewhere around the £16.8 million mark. Since joining, Alcaraz has already made 6 appearances, starting 3 of them, scoring 1 and assisting 1, just one goal behind Doucoure’s total tally for the season.
With Everton’s new owners The Friedkin’s Group (TFG) looking to cut costs and make the club more cost efficient, activating Doucoure’s 1 year extension would be damaging for the club, as Doucoure is currently Everton’s top earner, believed to be making around £130,000 a week. Activating this extension would mean Doucoure stays for another year on the same wages.
Everton are reportedly happy with how Charly Alcaraz is developing, mainly replacing Doucoure in the central attacking midfield position, while recently making a start on the left wing replacing Jesper Lindstrom in their recent 1-1 draw at home to West Ham.
Doucoure has reported suitors from Saudi Arabia, with club like Al-Etiffaq, NEOM FC, and Shabab Al-Ahli all interested in him. Doucoure also has clubs in Turkey and Germany interested in acquiring his signature.
