Watford to block PSG's attempts to sign Abdoulaye Doucoure during January transfer window

Watford will not sell Abdoulaye Doucoure to Paris Saint-Germain in January.

PSG are interested in signing the £50million-rated midfielder but Watford have ruled out him leaving Vicarage Road during this transfer window.

Doucoure is high on PSG’s shortlist of targets to replace Adrien Rabiot, who is set to leave the French club at the end of the season when his contract expires.

PSG manager Thomas Tuchel is keen to sign a midfielder this month but Watford want to avoid any disruption to their season and are adamant they will not sell Doucoure now.

Watford would stand to make a significant profit on Doucoure if they did decide to sell him in the summer. They paid Rennes around £8m for him in 2015.

The 26-year-old signed a new contract last summer which runs until 2023, so Watford are in a strong position to turn down any approach from PSG this month.

Doucoure underlined his importance to Watford by coming off the bench to rescue a 1-1 draw with Newcastle last week.

Before that game he had played every minute of Watford’s Premier League campaign and he is set to return to the team when they play Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Watford took four points from their three games over the festive period and they could climb up to seventh with a win tonight.

They lost 4-0 at home to Bournemouth in October but head coach Javi Gracia insists they will not travel to the Vitality Stadium with a score to settle.

“My players do not need motivation to do our best,” he said.

Possible Watford team to face Bournemouth (4-4-2): Foster; Femenia, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas; Hughes, Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra; Deeney, Deulofeu.