Everton set to trigger one-year extension in Abdoulaye Doucoure contract if they avoid relegation
Everton are “increasingly likely” to trigger a one-year extension option in Abdoulaye Doucoure’s contract after his performances under Sean Dyche, according to iNews.
Doucoure was on the verge of a Goodison Road exit under Frank Lampard after being banished from the first-team following an argument, but the manager was sacked a week later.
Since Dyche has come in and wiped the slate clean, Doucoure has become an integral part of the team and with his contract set to expire in the summer the club have made a decision on his future so long as they don’t get relegated.
“Doucoure was up for sale in January until Lampard left and has just a few months left on a contract which expires in the close season.,” they wrote (21 March).
“But the club do have an option for another 12 months in their favour and i understands that the Toffees are increasingly likely to trigger that clause if they stay in the Premier League.”
Deserved
It’s rare that a player is deserving of a new contract on the back of a handful of performances in the team, but it’s fair to say that Doucoure has earned one.
He was left out of the team regularly early in the season under Lampard but always kept his head down and fought back from injury to stay in contention.
He then called out the manager for what he believed to be an issue on his part with the squad and was punished for it, but once again didn’t push for a move and continued to work hard and is now being rewarded for it.
His performances on the pitch in recent weeks have been a huge reason for our upturn in form and he is chipping in with vital goals and huge defensive performances too, covering the most ground of any Everton player since coming back into the side.
If we are able to avoid the drop then it will be largely because of Doucoure’s performances and a new deal will be well deserved.