Abdoulaye Doucoure. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Abdoulaye Doucoure. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Abdoulaye Doucoure. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Abdoulaye Doucoure sees his Everton contract expire in the coming weeks.
David Moyes was tight-lipped on the future of Abdoulaye Doucoure after he appeared to wave goodbye to Everton in the final game at Goodison Park.
Everton have already confirmed that Ashley Young, Joao Virginia and Asmir Begovic will all depart the club. Doucoure has been a key player in the past few years, helping the Blues avoid Premier League relegation the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons - scoring the winner in the 1-0 triumph over AFC Bournemouth on the final day of the latter campaign.
However, Moyes did not confirm whether Doucoure was indeed saying farewell to supporters. Speaking to TNT Sport, the Everton boss said: “I don’t know. I think he was probably just waving at them all, I’m not sure. He’s done great for the club, he’s done great for the team so there is nothing one way or another regarding his contract.”
Doucoure admitted earlier this month that he is not willing to take a pay reduction to remain at Everton, having been at the club since 2020. The former Watford man said on the Ben Foster Podcast: “It’s the first time in my career I become a free agent because I’ve always wanted a contract to protect myself. I’m quite secure to have other propositions, I know I’m going to have some other offers, I already have. Everton is massive for me but maybe the chapter is finished and I have to accept that. I would be happy, at the end of the day, if I leave the club.
"It's funny because now I hear on especially X and Instagram that Everton fans were saying: 'We’d love Doucoure to stay but he has to lower his wages' and I'm amazed. Why are they talking about my salary? To be honest, I deserve to have my salary right now.
"And, to be honest, I won't reduce my salary to stay at the club because I don't think I deserve to reduce my salary. I'm playing every season, I'm scoring important goals, I'm very important for the club. No, I should have an increase. I’m only 33 years old and think I have three, four years easily in the Premier League. For me, to reduce my salary at this age, is something I will not do. I’m sorry.
“I hear a lot of things about my salary and I’m like: ‘Guys I see Mo Salah or [Virgil] van Dijk they have a pay rise because they are playing good. OK I’m not at that level, Everton is not at the level of Liverpool but I’m sorry, I’m playing every game for five years. There were a couple of players playing for Everton, to be honest I’m sorry, on an even higher salary and not playing as much but people always spoke about me and I’m just surprised, I’m sorry, I don’t agree.”
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