Watford must hold on to Abdoulaye Doucoure amidst PSG interest

According to The Sun, Paris Saint Germain are interested in signing Abdoulaye Doucoure as Thomas Tuchel looks to add cover for the likes of Adrien Rabiot and Marco Verratti.

The 25-year-old former French U21 international has been in prime form for Watford this season, playing a vital role as an engine in the midfield and has also chipped in with four assists.

Doucoure, who was born to parents of Malian descent in France, made his move to Vicarage Road back in 2016 from French club Rennes. However, he was loaned out to Spanish outfit Granada CF for the remainder of the  2015-16 season and made his debut for Watford in the next campaign. Although he was used sporadically in the 2016-17 season and made only 20 appearances in the Premier League, he played a much more significant role in the following season where he made a total of 38 appearances across all competitions, finding the net on 7 occasions.

The 25-year-old has carried his fine form into the ongoing season as well. He has played every minute of Watford’s Premier League campaign this term, establishing a fantastic partnership with Etienne Capoue in central midfield.

Truth be told, Doucoure has been one of the cornerstones of  Watford’s successful season so far. The Hornets took the Premier League by storm with four consecutive victories in their first four games. Although Javi Gracia’s men suffered a set back thereafter, losing three out of their next four games, they have done exceptionally well to get things back on track with back-to-back victories over Wolves and Huddersfield Town.

And Abdoulaye Doucoure has been at the centre of everything that the Hornets have achieved this season. Not only has he looked very comfortable in possession but has also shown the tenacity and the work-rate to win the ball back for his team. Standing at 6ft. with a burly frame, Doucoure’s physical presence and energetic approach to the game in the centre of the park are indispensable assets to a team like Watford.

Doucoure’s involvement hasn’t been limited to defensive work only. He has carried the ball forward with pace from the deeper areas of the midfield to initiate counter-attacks. He has looked very good with his short passing, contributing to the build-up play with his ball distribution skills. In other words, he has been Watford’s midfield dynamo.

A player with great work ethics, the Frenchman is a perfect team man and never hesitates to stick his foot out when needed. He also shows good recovery pace to track back and help out the defenders while dealing with counter-attacks.

The Frenchman averages 1.5 key passes, 2.1 tackles, 2.4 long balls and 1.4 successful aerial duels per game this term in the Premier League, which are enough to prove how valuable an all-round asset he is to the team.

Suffice to say, losing someone like Doucoure in the middle of the season would be a huge blow to Watford’s Premier League campaign. Having made a wonderful start to the season, a place in Europe next season is not beyond Watford’s reach and Abdoulaye Doucoure will be pivotal to their chances.

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That said, the Hornets should do everything to keep him at Vicarage Road amidst interest from PSG. The 25-year-old signed a long-term contract this summer, which should enable the club to slap a huge price tag to keep the potential suitors at bay.