Abdoulaye Doucoure has confirmed he will be leaving Everton Football Club as a free agent at the end of the 2024/25 season, bringing to an end his five-year spell on Merseyside. The French midfielder conveyed his departure in an emotional message addressed directly to the Everton faithful.
In a heartfelt statement, Doucoure expressed his sadness at leaving but acknowledged that “the time has come for a new chapter for me and the club.” He reflected on his time at Goodison Park, saying, “Everton means a lot to me. The past five years have been hard but I will always remember my time as a dream to play for the club.”
The 32-year-old, who made 165 appearances for the Toffees and scored 21 goals since his £20 million move from Watford in 2020, also extended his best wishes to the club for their move to the new stadium. “I will miss the fans and the club. I just want to let them know that I gave everything all the time and was always proud to wear the shirt and Goodison Park. I wish them all the best in the new stadium. I will forever be a Blue.”
Doucoure’s departure means he joins Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic, and Joao Virginia who are also set to leave Everton when their contracts expire this summer.
The future of several other key players whose contracts are also nearing their end, including Idrissa Gueye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Michael Keane, and Seamus Coleman, remains undecided as Everton continues to navigate its squad planning for the upcoming season.
