Everton are making moves in the transfer market with a fee agreed with Watford for Abdoulaye Doucoure, thought to be in the region of £25m
Doucoure was one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dismal Hornets campaign last season, as the club were dumped into the second tier on the final day of the season.
A boardroom shambles that saw managers come and go at an alarming rate didn't help the club's cause, and now a number of their key stars are on course to leave, including Doucoure.The Frenchman has been linked with a move away from Vicarage Road over the past two seasons, but endless speculation is finally on course to be silenced with the 27-year-old set to travel north to undergo a medical in the next 48 hours.
A fee, thought to be in the region of £25m, has been agreed with Carlo Ancelotti's side, while personal terms had already been arranged. In 141 Watford appearances since joining from Rennes, Doucoure scored 17 goals and assisted 12 more, playing in a variety of positions across midfield.
Arriving to much fanfare at Goodison Park, Ancelotti's second spell in the Premier League hasn't quite live up to expectations just yet. Everton improved (somewhat) under his tutelage, but still could only manage eight wins in his 21 games at the helm, finishing in a lowly 12th position, with reinforcements desperately needed.
Heading into his first summer transfer window with the club, significant spending is set to take place (again) as Doucoure looks set to be joined by the imminent arrivals of Napoli's Allan and Real Madrid's James Rodriguez.
Allan previously worked under Ancelotti in Italy, meanwhile Rodriguez did likewise at Bayern Munich and Madrid. The Brazilian will cost in the region of £25m, with the Colombian thought to be arriving for a similar fee.
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Source : 90min