Chelsea Target Late Move for Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure Ahead of Transfer Deadline

Chelsea are preparing to make a late bid for Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure ahead of the looming transfer deadline. Doucoure, 26, has been in fine form

Chelsea are preparing to make a late bid for Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure ahead of the looming transfer deadline. 

Doucoure, 26, has been in fine form for the Hornets this season, scoring three goals and providing five assists in 22 Premier League games, with Paris Saint-Germain already registering an interest in the Frenchman earlier in the window. 

According to The Mirror however, Watford's Premier League rivals Chelsea are poised to make a late attempt to sign the midfielder, as Maurizio Sarri still searches for a replacement for Cesc Fabregas, who left Stamford Bridge earlier this month for AS Monaco. 

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While Doucoure has spoken glowingly of PSG in the past, the Parisian outfit appear to have switched targets ahead of the deadline, with Everton's Idrissa Gueye the latest Premier League midfielder being eyed by the French club, which could aid the west London club's pursuit of Watford's number 16. 

The former France international has been at the club since 2016, having joined from Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais for approximately €10.6m, with the all-action midfielder going on to make 86 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists. 

Doucoure however was absent from the Hornets' recent 2-1 defeat to Tottenham, although Javi Gracia had confirmed that the midfielder has suffered a knee injury, while conflicting reports from the Evening Standard have suggested that the club have 'no interest in selling' the midfielder so close to the deadline. 

#Watfordfc have no interest in selling #Doucoure to #cfc

— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) January 31, 2019

Chelsea manager Sarri meanwhile is enduring a difficult time with the Blues in the league, after suffering back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Bournemouth, with the Italian critical of the mentality of his side following the 4-0 defeat to the Cherries, which now sees them outside the top four.