Everton have completed and confirmed the signing of Abdoulaye Doucoure from Watford.
✍️ | Abdoulaye Doucouré has completed a transfer from Watford for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year deal with a Club option for a fourth season.#BienvenueDoucouré
— Everton (@Everton) September 8, 2020
Having come through the youth ranks and spent four years with the first team at Rennes, Doucoure joined Watford in 2016. He went on to play 141 games for the Hornets, scoring 14 goals and assisting 12 more. Being highly versatile, strong and skilled on the ball, he played mostly as a classic central midfielder, but he also performed well both further up as a number 10, and deeper, shielding the back four in a defensive role.
He also passed through all the youth categories with France, though he is yet to make his senior international debut.
The arrival of the 27-year-old follows in the wake of those of Allan from Napoli and James Rodriguez from Real Madrid, which means manager Carlo Ancelotti can be said to have completely rebuilt the Toffees’ midfield section.
The fee Everton have obliged themselves to pay reportedly amounts to around £20 million, but it hasn’t been officially disclosed. Doucoure has signed a three-year contract, with the club having the option to extend it for a further year.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the Frenchman said he had been aware of interest from several clubs, but when he heard that Everton were among them, he instructed his representatives to focus on securing a move to Goodison Park. It was, apparently, ‘the only club’ he wanted to join.
Doucoure seems confident of bringing energy and goals to Everton’s midfield. He admits he was drawn to Merseyside by the project currently unfolding there under the command of Ancelotti and director of football Marcel Brands.