Racing Club Lens had a terrific season last term but are in danger of losing two key men from their midfield. Cheick Doucoure has already thrashed out a five-year deal with Crystal Palace and is only awaiting the work permit to seal the $28 million transfer to Selhurst Park. So next season, there will be Abdoulaye Doucoure at Everton and Cheick Doucoure at Palace.The Eagles’ coach Patrick Vieira requires reinforcements in midfield after Conor Gallagher returned to Chelsea and doubts over the future of Cheikhou Kouyate, who is now out of contract. Vieira wants to replace fellow midfielders Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur with fresh blood.
Doucoure, who boasts five caps after making his debut for Mali in 2018, would join Malcolm Ebiowei, who Palace secured on a five-year deal from Derby County and the England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone who arrived from West Bromwich Albion.Meanwhile, Cheick’s midfield buddy Seko Fofana remains in limbo, happy enough to stay but also keen to test himself at a club challenging for titles. Even though Lens are set to receive $23 million from Palace, with another $5 million in potential bonuses, replacing the 22-year-old Bamako-born midfield dynamo is going to be impossible – and that comes from Fofana, the guy who knows Doucoure best.”You have to be honest, he’s irreplaceable… We’ll have to move on, but it’s weird not to be next to Cheick. I only wish him the best for the future. He was in my shadow a lot, maybe because I was scoring goals, but he brought a lot to the club. He left through the front door. I have a lot of respect for him. I consider him to be one of the best players I’ve ever played with.”23.00: (1.87) Cameroon W (3.35) Tunisia W (4.00)As we previously reported, the 27-year-old Fofana was scouted by AC Milan in previous months, making his career at Estadio Bollaert-Delelis close to conclusion. He says that he’s happy to stay at Lens but is aware that a tempting offer could soon arrive.”I’m at Lens, and I’m very happy to be here, to be able to train, to progress… after that, anything is possible. We are in the transfer window period, a lot can happen. One day you’re staying, the next you’re going to leave. You don’t really know. I’m very calm about it.”Iron soldier Seko went from a Man City discard to a $40 million manSeeing his midfield partner move to England must have made Fofana have second thoughts, but the best African player in Ligue 1 maintains that he’s focused on his job at Sang et Or.”When you see a guy like Cheick leave, it’s a little weird, but it’s a normal situation that must be accepted. As long as I wear this jersey, I will be Lensois. There’s no pressure. I have many ties to Lens, with this region, I’m here to play and do my job.”