Abdoulaye Doucoure is determined to prove his worth to Everton as he enters the final year of his contract.
The midfielder said last season was the toughest of his career due to his personal battle with injury and the club’s collective fight against relegation. As a new season approaches he hopes the Blues can push on and be competitive enough to play with more freedom.
Crucial to his own game is the knowledge of manager Frank Lampard, with Doucoure acknowledging one of the Premier League’s greatest midfielders has already helped him to improve his game.