Abdoulaye Doucouré’s future at Everton is uncertain after the club opted not to trigger the option to extend his contract for another season, per The Athletic.
The 32-year-old midfielder has been a key figure for Everton in recent years, most notably scoring the decisive goal against Bournemouth on the final day of the 2022/23 season to secure the club’s Premier League survival.
His current contract expires at the end of this campaign, and Everton had the option to extend it for a further year on the same terms. However, the deadline to activate that clause has now passed.
While Everton could still negotiate a new deal with Doucouré, the decision not to extend his contract raises the possibility of him leaving the club after nearly five years.
The France-born Mali international has previously attracted interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, and with his contract winding down, he may have more suitors in the coming months.
Doucouré is among 15 Everton players whose deals expire this summer, including experienced midfielder Idrissa Gueye and striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The club faces important decisions regarding several first-team players as they prepare for the future.
Signed from Watford for around £20 million in 2020, Doucouré was close to leaving Everton under former manager Frank Lampard. However, he became an important player under Lampard’s successor, Sean Dyche, and has continued to feature regularly under new boss David Moyes, who took charge in January.
This season, Doucouré has scored twice in 23 Premier League appearances, though his role has come under threat from winter loan signing Carlos Alcaraz.
Everton are currently 16th in the Premier League, 15 points clear of the relegation zone after a seven-match unbeaten run under Moyes. They face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday as they look to continue their strong form.
