Everton manager David Moyes has already scouted Strasbourg's Guela Doue, but the Ivory Coast international's £40 million price tag may prove prohibitive as the club seeks to resolve its long-standing right-back issue. According to a report by Paul Joyce in The Times, Everton's priorities include recruiting a right-back, with Doue, 23, considered a prime target but likely out of reach due to cost. Alternatives include Atalanta's Raoul Bellanova, 26, Tottenham's Djed Spence, 25, and West Ham's Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 28.
Doue's Background and Sibling Connections
Doue is the brother of Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Desire Doue, and one of three sets of siblings at the 2026 World Cup representing different countries, alongside John Souttar (Scotland) and Harry Souttar (Australia), and Nico Williams (Spain) and Inaki Williams (Ghana). Born in Angers, France, Doue is among 76 French-born players in the tournament not representing France, with 53 hailing from Paris or its suburbs.
Moyes' Long-Term Search for a Right-Back
Speaking on January 30, Moyes admitted: “We’ve been actively looking for a right-back for over a year.” Since then, Nathan Patterson nearly joined Genoa on deadline day, and captain Seamus Coleman ended his 17-year playing career at Everton. The ECHO understands Doue has been on Everton's radar for months and was considered during the January transfer window, though no major moves were made.
Doue's Showcase to Moyes
Doue had the chance to display his talents to Moyes on March 31, when Ivory Coast faced Scotland in the first international at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium. He came off the bench for nearly 30 minutes in a 1-0 win, with Nicolas Pepe scoring the only goal. A photo shows Doue blocking Andy Robertson, who later said being booed at Everton's new home was a highlight of his year.
World Cup Performance and Statistics
Doue, with 22 caps for Ivory Coast, started the 1-0 World Cup win over Ecuador but was substituted after a booking. He also featured against Germany in a 2-1 loss. Ivory Coast next face Curacao in their final Group E match. Statistical analysis from Comparisonator shows Doue is most similar to Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui (90% match), followed by Leeds' James Justin (89%) and Nottingham Forest's Ola Aina (75%). He is rated primarily as a defensive full-back (9.3/10) but also as a two-ways full-back (7.9) and wing-back (7.0).
Attacking and Defensive Contributions
Doue provided seven assists last season (six in Ligue 1), averaging 0.24 assists per 90 minutes, ahead of Premier League leaders Jurrien Timber and Matheus Nunes (both 0.15). He ranks third for playing in scoring attacks (0.71), fifth for shots on target (0.29), and seventh for successful dribbles (1.06). Defensively, he makes 4.76 interceptions per 90 minutes, better than Premier League leader Aina (2.61), and averages 1.41 successful crosses, second only to Tottenham's Pedro Porro (1.67).
Financial Considerations and Historical Spending
Everton have only paid over £40 million twice, for Gylfi Sigurdsson in 2017 and Richarlison in 2018. Their highest fee for a defender remains £30 million for Michael Keane in 2017. Unless Strasbourg reduce their asking price, Doue may be too expensive, but the club's need for a quality right-back may justify a significant outlay. As the article notes, they cannot always rely on bargain buys like Coleman's £60,000 fee from Sligo Rovers.
