Five Things to Know about Abdoulaye Doucouré

Charlotte FC is adding another former Premier League midfielder to the fold – Abdoulaye Doucouré.

Doucouré brings more than 12 years and 368 appearances in Europe's top leagues to The Crown. Here are five things to know about Charlotte’s latest addition:

Path to Charlotte

Doucouré started his career with Stade Rennais in Ligue 1 in France. He made 92 appearances with the French side from 2012-2016, scoring 16 goals and recording 14 assists.

His success in France led Watford to make a move for him in January 2016, bringing him to England. Watford sent him on loan to La Liga side Granada CF, where he made 15 appearances before coming back to Watford.  

Doucouré became a regular in the Watford squad in January of the 2016-17 season due to injury and he made the most of the opportunity. He made 141 appearances for The Hornets, scoring 17 goals and bagging 12 assists before Everton came calling for him before the 2020-21 campaign.

As part of former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti’s plan to bolster the Toffees, he brought Doucouré in to strengthen the midfield. Doucouré was a long-time fixture for Everton, making 166 appearances for the club and having 35 goal contributions (21G+14A) from 2020-2025.

Doucouré’s latest venture was to the Saudi Pro League for Neom SC for the 2025-26 season. He bounced in and out of the starting 11 but made an impact in his 14 appearances for the club with four assists.

Kept the Toffees in the Premier League

With relegation staring Everton in the face on Decision Day in the 2022-23 season, they needed three points to stay in the top level of English football for the 70th consecutive season.

Facing Bournemouth at Goodison Park for the crucial match, it was Doucouré’s goal that kept Everton in the Premier League.

With the game tied 0-0 in the 57th minute, Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye sent a cross into the box. The ball was headed out by Bournemouth and the ball bounced once right in front of Doucouré before he sent a right-foot strike from outside the box into the back of the net. The strike ignited Goodison Park as Doucouré ran to the advertisement boards to celebrate in front of the supporters.

Comfortable Playing in a 4-3-3

Head Coach Dean Smith’s chosen formation for Charlotte FC has been a 4-3-3 and his newest signing has experience playing in the set-up.

Doucouré played a 4-3-3 frequently at Watford under manager Marco Silva during the 2017-18 campaign, the same season that he won Watford’s Player of the Season award. At Everton, Doucouré was a part of a 4-3-3 with Ancelotti as his gaffer. While Rafa Benítez and Frank Lampard were leading the Toffees, Doucouré and the midfield were shifted into a 4-3-3 to tighten the center of the field and provide defensive cover.

“I am a box-to-box player,” Doucouré said in a 2022 interview with The Athletic. “I can play in a two or in 4-3-3, so I am very flexible.”

A Man of Patience

Doucouré grew up as the second youngest of eight siblings, leading to being used to having to wait his turn to have a chance to do things – such as play on the PlayStation.

“You get used to waiting your turn and you have to make sure you’re ready to take it when it comes,” Doucouré said in a 2017 interview with The Guardian. “It’s the same in football.”

Doucouré had to be patient with Watford after not initially getting his chance to start for the club following his loan with Granada. His patience paid off when he finally found his name in the starting 11 on New Year’s Day 2017 – also his 24th birthday. Doucouré did well enough in the match that his name was on the lineup sheet for the rest of the season.

Doucouré made the most of the opportunity that he was given and turned his time with Watford into a big move to Everton.

Helped Build Football Facilities Near his Neighborhood

When Doucouré was growing up, there were no facilities near him to be able to practice unless you crossed a traffic-packed road – he decided to change that.

At 12 years old, he was elected by his classmates at Collège Jules-Verne (the American equivalent of middle school) to be one of the school’s municipal advisors. Doucouré used his position to lobby the local government to build a soccer facility near his neighborhood, Vigne Blanche in Mureaux in West Paris.