Doucoure speaks about Everton deal and extension option

Doucoure scored the only goal and it represented a neat symmetry to his last two end-of-season appearances at Goodison Park, following his winner against Bournemouth on the last day twelve months ago that of course kept Everton up.

This season's solo strike wasn't so important but it represented his first goal since last December, before he suffered a hamstring injury that ultimately kept him out of the side for nearly three months.

Until then he had been a crucial cog in Sean Dyche's tactics and approach - after being snubbed by Frank Lampard - operating in a deeper lying number ten type role behind the centre-forward, which was usually Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Doucoure is one of a number of players whose contracts are either ending this summer or only have a year left to run.

Along with the former Watford player, another central midfielder who has a year left on his deal at the Blues, is 35-year-old Idrissa Gueye.

Both have been key performers for the Toffees under Dyche and I would assume the club will look to extend both these contracts, unless there are significant issues around the two players' wages to consider.

If one or both do leave this summer (along with perhaps a number of others) then Everton will have to find replacements from somewhere for two individuals who are fundamental to how the manager wants to set his side up.

They will almost certainly be joined by at least one of the Blues better players such as Amadou Onana and possibly also Jarrad Branthwaite.

I have already written about one or two players who could be available at a very reasonable fee to replace Gueye and or Doucoure and they or others might possibly end up at Goodison Park this summer.

Unless something dramatic happens in the next few weeks and there is a satisfactory resolution to the ownership crisis, Everton will be shopping at the lower end of the transfer market and will have to find talent in much more imaginative ways than in the past.