Doucoure to leave Everton at end of season

LONDON : Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of next month, the 32-year-old confirmed on Tuesday.

"Hi Evertonians, I just wanted to share this message with you that I'm going to leave the football club at the end of the season. After five wonderful years, my time at Everton has come to an end," he said on his Instagram account.

Doucoure, who has made 165 appearances for Everton since joining them from Watford for 20 million pounds ($26.71 million) in 2020, had been expected to sign a one-year extension to his deal.

He was substituted during the final Everton game at Goodison Park on Sunday and was clearly emotional as he left the field.

"I gave everything to win as many games as I could. I will just miss the place and I wish them all the best in the new stadium," the Mali international said.

"Everton will always be part of my life now. I will be forever a Blue."

($1 = 0.7488 pounds)