Everton confirm Abdoulaye Doucoure contract extension

Everton have activated a one-year extension to keep Abdoulaye Doucoure until the end of next season.

Doucoure signed a three-year deal with the club in the summer of 2020 when he completed a £20m transfer from Watford.

The midfielder's contract was set to expire next month, but Everton have taken up the option to extend his stay by a further year.

Doucoure has been given an extension after featuring regularly in the Everton side since Sean Dyche's arrival in January.

The 30-year-old, who had fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard, started just one Premier League game in the 2022-23 campaign before the former Burnley boss was appointed.

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Since Dyche's appointment, Doucoure has started 14 out of 17 Premier League games, chipping in with four goals in that period.

In total, Doucoure has made 94 competitive appearances during his time with the Toffees, registering nine goals and nine assists.

Doucoure is expected to start when Everton welcome Bournemouth to Goodison Park for Sunday's crucial encounter.

The Toffees are at risk of being relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1951, but they head into the final weekend of the season with their fate in their own hands.

Everton, who sit just outside the drop zone, are two points better off than relegation rivals Leicester City and Leeds United.