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Four years on from his arrival at Goodison Park, Abdoulaye Doucoure finds himself at yet another crossroads over his role in the Everton team. The player signed for the Blues from Watford in a £20million transfer on September 8, 2020, and on his arrival, he was clear over which was the best way to deploy his skill set.
Asked how he felt Carlo Ancelotti would utilise him, Doucoure said: “He wants me to play in a box-to-box role in midfield. I think it’s my best position and I can have a good season here with him.
“I can bring my energy first because I’m a powerful player, I can run a lot, all the game, of course I can add goals as well. I will try my best to score goals and to help the team.”
Doucoure’s arrival came hot on the heels of the acquisitions of fellow midfielders Allan and James Rodriguez but while the South American pair enjoyed higher profiles and had both previously played under Ancelotti at Napoli and Real Madrid/Bayern Munich respectively, it was the former Hornet who had experienced the Premier League since 2016 from his time at Vicarage Road who has proven to have the staying power on Merseyside. It was his goal on the final day of the 2022/23 season against Bournemouth that prevented Everton from suffering what would have been a first relegation in 72 years but during his stint at the club it has been something of a roller coaster ride under four managers in as many years.
Ancelotti learned to appreciate Doucoure’s efforts but ahead of a game with Southampton the following March, he confessed that he initially didn’t even want to buy him. The legendary Italian, now back in charge of Real Madrid where he has added another brace of La Liga titles and Champions League successes to his glittering CV, said: “When we started to talk about the transfer window, Doucoure was on the list of the club.
“He was not on my list, but we talked together and we both agreed to sign him. I think it was, after six months, a really fantastic signing because Doucoure is playing really well.”
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