Abdoulaye Doucoure joins Charlotte FC after leaving Neom SC

Abdoulaye Doucoure is set to continue his career in Major League Soccer with Charlotte FC after agreeing a short-term contract with the American club.

The 33-year-old midfielder was a free agent following the end of his spell with Neom SC this summer. Although Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah had shown interest, as reported exclusively by Africafoot, Doucoure has instead opted to move to the United States, according to Top Bin90.

The Mali international spent a week on trial with Charlotte FC before the deal was completed. He underwent an assessment period with the club, giving manager Dean Smith the opportunity to evaluate whether he could meet the team’s needs.

Smith had publicly called for the urgent recruitment of a creative midfielder capable of linking the central areas of the pitch with the attack. Doucoure’s performances during his trial were sufficient for the manager to approve his signing.

Doucoure arrives with five seasons of Premier League experience at Everton, where he recorded 21 goals and 15 assists. He will now provide Charlotte FC with an experienced option as the club enters the closing stages of the season.

The midfielder will need to address a slight physical deficit, according to observations made by the club’s staff. Despite that concern, Charlotte FC are relying on his experience to strengthen the squad for the final run-in and prepare for the latter stages of the competition.