Monday 28 January 2019 18:45, UK
Watford boss Javi Gracia expects midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure to stay for the rest of the season despite reported interest from French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Doucoure said he was "flattered" by PSG's interest a fortnight ago, and expressed his desire to leave Watford in search of Champions League football.
However, Sky Sports News has been told that Watford have no intentions of selling their £39m-rated reigning player of the season, who they bought from Stade Rennes in 2016 for £8m.
Gracia reiterated the club's wishes to keep Doucoure, adding the 26-year-old is nearing a return from injury but will not be fit for Wednesday's clash at Tottenham.
"I think Doucoure will stay with us for the rest of the season. I don't have any news about the team," Gracia said.
"Now we are trying to help him to recover as soon as possible, possible because he is an important player for us.
"He has a little problem in his knee, but he feels better day by day but I don't know. One week ago, I thought he would be ready quicker but it wasn't possible. I'm sure in the next days he will be ready."
Two weeks ago, Sky Sports News reported that privately Watford feel it may be more difficult to keep hold of Doucoure in the summer.
With PSG known admirers, any potential move to the Ligue 1 club would no doubt help the Frenchman persuade Didier Deschamps he could make an impact at international level.
"I have read a lot of things about this, that PSG are looking for a midfielder," Doucoure told Canal Plus two weeks ago.
"I'm flattered by this interest but for the time being there's nothing concrete.
"Honestly, Watford haven't been contacted by PSG. Naturally I said that PSG's project interests me because I'm from the Paris region.
"But the probability honestly is very low because PSG are following a lot of players and I'm not their priority, that's for sure. But if there's a possibility, of course we'll look at it."
