Sean Dyche's big Everton January problem has already been solved

Sean Dyche has received a welcome boost for his January preparations with Abdoulaye Doucoure set to remain on Merseyside.

Last month, the ECHO reported it was unlikely the midfielder would link up with the Mali squad in Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations. He has now publicly confirmed his stance in comments made after Everton’s draw with Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend.

Dyche had faced the prospect of losing half his central midfield to the tournament, with Idrissa Gueye in contention for a call up with Senegal. That could have forced a tactical overhaul for a crucial period for the Blues.

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The extent of the problem Dyche would have faced had Doucoure been planning on joining up with Mali was made clear at the weekend. Amadou Onana’s absence through a calf issue left Dyche with just three senior centre midfielders available. With the Blues boss preferring to work with a three man central midfield there was no replacement for that position on the bench. Without early reinforcements in the January transfer window, Dyche would have been forced to tinker with his tactics had he lost Doucoure and Gueye for the competition, which runs into February across dates that include Premier League ties with Aston Villa, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

Asked whether he anticipated being involved, Doucoure said: “No, at the moment, I don’t think I’m going to make the Africa Nations Cup, to be honest. I think I’m going to stay here in an Everton shirt. I don’t want to go. It’s not a big, big decision because I went only one time for the