What Abdoulaye Doucouré can bring to Charlotte FC for the final stretch
By Brian Maurer - @BAMaurermedia
Charlotte FC had Abdoulaye Doucouré on trial this past week, and they opted to sign him before the roster freeze on October 9. His last season was in Saudi Arabia, but before that he made a massive impact during his five seasons at Everton, including scoring the pivotal goal against Bournemouth that kept Everton in the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Charlotte FC Head Coach mentioned that the focus of the move is what Doucouré can bring to the club immediately in the short term to help them win games and go on a playoff run to end this season.
Smith also mentioned that the aim before the roster freeze was to bring someone in who could help connect the midfield to the forward line. With Doucouré being the expected signing that will likely be looked at as a primary role.
Here are some traits highlighting what Charlotte's new midfielder can bring for the final stretch of 2026:
The Ability to Rise to Pressure Moments
As highlighted earlier, Doucouré has risen to the occasion with clutch plays and goals for his club. The season after Everton survived relegation because of Doucouré's rocket, the team faced additional pressure as they had two-point deductions put on them during the 2023/24 campaign. Everton avoided relegation even with the eight total points deducted, and Doucouré rose up that season and was the joint leader in goals scored.
At Everton, Doucouré scored eight game-winning goals in Premier League action. Besides the historic goal against Bournemouth, he also scored a brace (including the winner) against a strong 2022/23 Brighton side that same year. In 2023/24 he had a late-season winner against Sheffield United, and the year after he scored a late-season winner against Nottingham Forest, who were a top-10 side that year.
When Charlotte needs a late-season heroic moment, Doucouré has a resume that says he should be on the list of potential candidates that can deliver one.
Positional Flexibility
In an interview with Everton's Fan Channel, Toffee TV, Doucouré mentions that his best position is a box-to-box eight or six. This positioning fits with what Smith likes to do with his deeper-lying double pivot. Sometimes it is dual eights, sometimes a single six stays back. Doucouré is capable and comfortable with both of those roles.
He has also spent time further forward in more of an attacking midfielder role. In that same Toffee TV interview, Doucouré mentions that that more advanced position is not his best, but that he is willing to play there because he does have a knack for getting forward and being involved in attacking sequences from his more natural box-to-box role.
If Doucouré can get up to match fitness in time, his ability to play in any position in Charlotte's midfield gives Smith additional flexibility and depth. If Charlotte is short a winger or forward, Doucouré could push into a higher role on the field, providing support for Pep Biel, who could then slot into the front three if needed.
This was the roster flexibility that Luca de la Torre was expected to provide this season, but with inconsistent performances from LDLT, Doucouré gives Smith an extra option.
Workrate off the Ball
Quotes from Doucouré himself, as well as several tactical breakdowns over the years, highlight his willingness to put in strong shifts off the ball throughout his career, covering the entire length of the pitch*. If he can reach solid fitness levels quickly and still has the stamina to put in a strong shift to accompany his positioning and abilities on the ball, he should be a good complementary player alongside Charlotte's other midfielders.
The Frenchman's high-level experience should make him a quick learner of Smith's expectations for defensive rotation and positioning. If Doucouré can then also do the extra running he has been known for, that would free up midfielders like Ashley Westwood, De La Torre, and Biel to focus on doing special things with the ball.
*Tactical breakdown from Breaking The Lines, and a discussion with Adam Leventhal
