According to the Watford Observer Marco Silva’s former club are saying any story that they have rejected a bid from Everton for their midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure is not correct.
This is yet another rumour of a maybe/possible signing that has surfaced in the past few weeks as Everton fans still wait for the club’s first new player.
Doucoure enjoyed a strong season last time round at Vicarage Road. He is a player we have identified before as the kind of footballer Everton should be considering.
He also fits the kind of style Silva likes to play. Doucoure is a powerful all-round midfielder who is strong defensively and can also add goals and assists. And he’s also a player familiar with the Premier League.
He would certainly offer the kind of defensive protection, drive and goal threat from midfield that was absent from Everton’s play last season.
It seems very unlikely that Everton will be getting Doucoure or anyone else from Watford given how badly the two clubs’ relationship was damaged by the Blues protracted pursuit of Silva last season.
In fact it’s starting to seem increasingly possible the Blues won’t be making any significant signings this summer.
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Just across Stanley Park Liverpool have made their third signing adding the former Stoke City player Xherdan Shaqiri for just £13 million.
Shaqiri has just enjoyed a very good World Cup campaign with Switzerland. He is a player who can be frustrating and inconsistent but surely he is the type of player the Blues should at least be competing for?
The diminutive Swiss attacker is a creative and goal scoring threat. And despite Stoke’s poor campaign in 2017-18, he still scored eight Premier League goals and created another seven.
There was enthusiasm and positive feelings when first Marcel Brands and then Marco Silva took up their posts at Goodison Park. However since then the Blues have failed to make any signings and only a few players have departed.
It is difficult to get the right kind of players at the right price so perhaps there is a pleasant surprise coming in the next few days.
Next: Everton keeper shines for England
Or could it be that majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is losing his determination to restore the Blues to the heights the club enjoyed in their eighties heyday? We continue to wait and see.