Barcelona tipped to move for £20m Everton star in January 😲
Everton now face losing Abdoulaye Doucoure, months after he signed a new contract.
That’s according to ‘El Bar’ on Cadena Ser, who have reported that Barcelona could look to the midfielder as a potential replacement for the injured Gavi.
The 19-year-old has been a very important player for the Catalan giants in recent seasons, winning the 2022 Golden Boy for his stellar performances.
However, Gavi is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and could even miss Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign next summer after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in their 3-1 win over Georgia at the weekend.
Barcelona will look to replace the teenager in January, but their options will be very limited due to their financial problems.
Cadena SER and journalist Bruno Alemany have proposed five options for Barcelona to target, with Abdoulaye Doucoure being one of them.
The 30-year-old has been excellent under Sean Dyche, netting nine goals since March and earning himself a contract extension at the start of November.
The report also suggests Idrissa Gana Gueye as a potential alternative for Barcelona, though they admit that he is a bit ‘tactically disorganised’.
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On Doucoure, Alemany said: “I like him more than Gueye, although he would surely be a little more expensive.
“He is scoring important goals, he is a player with arrival and an impressive physique, I feel that he is very undervalued in the Premier League.”
The report claims that Everton could be forced to part ways with some players following their 10-point deduction, offering Barcelona an opportunity to snap some players up on the cheap.
Why would Everton sell Abdoulaye Doucoure in January?
Abdoulaye Doucoure only just signed a new contract at Everton, so he clearly wants to be at Goodison Park.
Both parties knew of a potential point deduction and also the Toffees’ current financial situation, so it wouldn’t make much sense now for the club to offload him only two months later.
Surely their only need to sell Doucoure would be if they are sued for £300m by Leicester, Burnley and Leeds United, or if they are relegated. Either way, it would be a surprise to see any major outgoings occur earlier than next summer.
But could Doucoure be tempted by a move to Barcelona? It is certainly not the kind of transfer he will ever get before he retires. Let’s hope not.
While Idrissa Gueye hasn’t been starting games recently, Sean Dyche will surely want to keep hold of him too. Though I imagine the 34-year-old is far down on the list of Barcelona’s priorities.
