Abdoulaye Doucoure was barred from working with Everton’s first team last week as a result of the Goodison Park defeat to Southampton.
The Mali midfielder, who did not travel to West Ham on Saturday, engaged in a dressing room argument with Frank Lampard right after their 2-0 defeat to their divisional foes.
It is said that Lampard and Doucoure continued their argument at the team’s Finch Farm training facility last week, forcing the now-fired Everton manager to take drastic measures.
Doucoure has six months left on his contract at Goodison Park.
As Lampard prepared for a crucial match at West Ham, which they lost 2-0, Doucoure had to conduct training sessions alone and away from the group rather than being sent down to work with the Under-21 squad.
Lampard hinted at his displeasure with some players’ conduct during his press conference last week when he said: ‘I had things to say because from my point of view in the position we are in, we have fight and be ready for the fight.’
‘If the players in the dressing room are disappointed we lost then that’s good.’
‘If they want to fight and be a good teammate, not think about themselves, think about the team and try to get the result the next week and train great intensity, whether they are starting or not, that is all I want.’
Only 12 appearances have been made by Doucoure this season after he was bought by former manager Carlo Ancelotti in September 2020.
His most recent outing came on January 5 against Manchester United in the FA Cup.
The 30-year-old’s departure from Goodison Park when his contract expires seems certain, but there is a chance he will go during this transfer window since Marco Silva, who managed him at Watford, is eager to bring him to Fulham.
Everton must make a profit in order to get the players on their wishlist. The manager for the upcoming match, which will take place on February 4 at Goodison Park versus Arsenal, has not yet been chosen.
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Abdoulaye Doucouré, a professional football player for Premier League team Everton, was born on January 1, 1993. He plays central midfield. Doucoure represents the Mali national team and was born in France.
Doucouré was born to Malian parents in Meulan-en-Yvelines, Yvelines. Ladji Doucouré is his cousin and a French track & field athlete.
Doucouré, who came up via Rennes’ development program, made his Ligue 1 debut for the 2012–2013 campaign.
Doucouré joined Premier League club Watford on February 1 for an undisclosed sum, and he then immediately went on loan to La Liga team Granada CF.
In the 2017–18 season, Doucouré scored seven goals and made two assists. The next year, he scored five goals and made six assists.
At the conclusion of the 2017–18 campaign, he was named the team’s “Player of the Season.”
Premier League team Everton confirmed on September 8, 2020, that they had acquired Doucouré from Watford for an unknown sum that was reportedly in the neighborhood of £20 million.
He committed to a three-year contract with a club option for an additional year.
On September 13, during Everton’s 1-0 away victory against Tottenham Hotspur in their first game of the 2020–21 campaign, Doucouré made his Everton debut.
