Abdoulaye Doucoure took time to salute supporters in the emotional Goodison Park finale on Sunday and his future at Everton is in question, with his contract expiring this summer and offers from Saudi Arabia on the table
Dwight McNeil has paid a glowing tribute to Abdoulaye Doucoure after the Mali midfielder appeared to say his goodbyes to Everton fans. Amid the emotion of the final men’s game at Goodison Park, a tearful Doucoure took time to salute supporters as his future remains uncertain.
The 32-year-old’s contract expires at the end of this season and he has offers on the table from Saudi Arabia but David Moyes is a big fan of Doucoure and hopes he can extend his stay at the club.
And Doucoure is clearly a popular dressing-room figure, team-mate McNeil saying: “Douc is a massive - absolutely massive - part of the club.
“He has scored some important goals for us over the years. He is a massive part of our team as well. He has always been there when we needed him. He has been a credit to the club.
“He is going to be emotional. We will just have to see what happens. But we all love him here.”
Of the important goals scored by Doucoure, none were more important than the one against Bournemouth on the last day of the 2022-23 season that made sure Everton remained in the Premier League.
Everton did not take the option to trigger a one-year extension to Doucoure’s deal but could still offer him a new package.
However, if they do, it is unlikely to be on the £120,000-a-week current terms for a player who will be 33 on January 1.
Moyes said: “He (Doucoure) has done great for the club, he’s done great for the team, so there’s nothing one way or the other at the moment regarding his contract.”
Doucoure is not alone in being out of contract this summer. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will also be able to leave on a free transfer and it has already been confirmed that Ashley Young will not be at Everton next season.
Moyes said: “This is a complicated situation in many respects, with so many players out of contract this summer.
"It’s important to me to speak with all of those players, individually, to give them clarity on their situations.”