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Doucoure ‘having medical’ for Everton move

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 17: Abdoulaye Doucoure of Watford warms up prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford FC at London Stadium on July 17, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 17: Abdoulaye Doucoure of Watford warms up prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford FC at London Stadium on July 17, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) /
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As we wait today for confirmation of the completed signings of Allan and James Rodriguez, the third member of Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield rebuild, Abdoulaye Doucoure is reportedly also having a medical ahead of his Everton move.

As we reported yesterday, Everton and Watford have agreed a fee believed to be in the region of £20 million or the French midfielder.

Now today reports indicate that Doucoure is having a medical as he finalises his move up the motorway from north of London to Merseyside.

All this comes just 24 hours or so after it seemed there might be last-minute competition for his signature from Monaco, who had allegedly registered their interest in signing the 27-year-old.

Perhaps that story spurred the Toffees negotiating team to push harder in order to get this deal over the line as quickly as possible, even though it always looked an unlikely outcome.

Well whatever the truth, certainly there appears to have been a breakthrough and the Blues seem to have got their third midfield signing of the window.

If all three of these recruits are secured by the end of this week, Everton will have done some of the most impressive transfer dealings in recent memory.

It is ironic that Ancelotti looks to have signed a player who along with Jean-Philippe Gbamin, was to have been key to Marco Silva’s plans for transforming the Blues midfield last season.

That proposed deal for Doucoure didn’t happen and Gbamin got injured almost straight away and missed the whole season, the rest as they say is history.

Returning to the present, I think that getting these three high-profile players in for around £60 million in total is very good business, certainly from a financial perspective alone.

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Obviously if Rodriguez isn’t able to produce his best or picks up another serious injury, then it will be extremely frustrating but fingers crossed, Everton get some good luck for once and all three of these players can make the impact we hope for.

While Rodriguez is an added bonus so to speak, its the ability of Allan and Doucoure to bed in quickly and deliver that will probably be decisive in determining how successful these moves are.

The prospect of these two combining in the middle, perhaps alongside Andre Gomes, is something to look forward to. Allan’s tenacity and defensive qualities, together with Doucoure’s energy and physical presence would surely transform the calibre and effectiveness of the Toffees midfield.

It will help to hugely strengthen the defensive shield in front of the defence and should give much more consistent and better quality ball to the attacking players up front.

And if Rodriguez can find his best form and add that flair, creativity and invention then it all adds up to a potentially mouth-watering prospect for next season.

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