Abdoulaye Doucoure Open to Move Amid Manchester United, Chelsea Transfer Rumours

Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has said he is open to a summer move, having previously been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Doucoure told French television station Canal+ (h/t Mikael McKenzie at the Daily Express) that he wants to stay in the Premier League and does not expect his club to stand in his way if a good offer arrives.

"If a big club manages to make an interesting offer for me, of course the club will let me leave, easily. A club that plays in the Champions League is the goal, but I don’t have a particular one in mind.

"We're little by little arriving at the end of the cycle. Maybe the club (Watford) has certain expectations for me, I don’t really know them yet, but I can still progress and still do good things, so if I were to change clubs, it would be to go up a level.

"I'm happy in the Premier League. I want to stay in the Premier League, that’' my main wish. Then we'll see what’s on offer, or not, for me this summer."

The 27-year-old moved to Vicarage Road from Ligue 1 side Rennes in February 2016 and has proved to be a hit with the Premier League team. He won Watford's Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season awards in 2017-18:

The midfielder's impressive performances saw him rewarded with a new, five-year contract in August 2018.

Doucoure has largely played as a holding midfielder for Watford but has been pushed into a more advanced role under manager Nigel Pearson to good effect, as shown by Goal:

The Frenchman has attracted interest from elsewhere during his time in England. Everton saw a bid of £36.7 million rejected in August 2019, according to Sky Sports.

Manchester United have previously been linked with Doucoure. In March 2018, Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mirror reported the Red Devils would battle Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and rivals Liverpool for his services, and the Mirror's Darren Lewis wrote that Chelsea were keen on signing the midfielder in January 2019.

A move has yet to materialise, though United are expected to spend on reinforcements this summer. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward told a fans' forum in early February that the upcoming transfer window is an "important opportunity" for the club, per Peter Lynch of Goal.

Watford have so far managed to hold on to their talented midfielder but may struggle to keep him, particularly if they are relegated from the Premier League. The Hornets are currently in 19th place in the table but only a point from safety.