According to a recent report by France Football, Everton are hoping to seal a move to bring Napoli midfielder Allan to Merseyside this summer. The same source has also stated that the Toffees’ chances of landing the Brazilian talent will be increased if they also decide to sign his Napoli teammate Hirving Lozano in this off-season. It is believed that the Naples based outfit are demanding €40m for Allan but would ‘further facilitate the deal’ if Carlo Ancelotti’s side also decide to recruit Lozano during the summer transfer window (via France Football).
Allan’s Campaign Of Mixed Emotions At The San Paolo Stadium
The 29-year-old has experienced a difficult season at Naples after struggling to find consistency with his performances in the Serie A so far. He has participated in 24 matches for the Italian giants this term, scoring one goal and providing one assist in multiple competitions which could be because he has often been deployed as a holding midfielder during his campaign.
On the defensive end, Allan has averaged 2.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 0.5 clearances in every 90 minutes of league football this season. To his credit, he has produced slightly better numbers in Europe where he has averaged 3.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game in the UEFA Champions League football so far (stats via whoscored).
Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso has struggled to get the best out of the Brazilian workhorse this season. Thus, maybe a switch away from Italy could benefit the player as well as help his current employers overcome their financial troubles by getting some much-needed cash inflow this summer.
The Rio de Janeiro-born talent has also made eight senior appearances for the Brazilian national side but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for his homeland. The ex-Udinese midfield ace is currently nowhere near Brazil manager Tite’s first-team. However, if Allan can return to form and perform at a high level in England next season, then he will have a good chance of securing a place in the Brazilian squad for the next edition of the Copa America, which has been pushed back to the summer of 2021 due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
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Allan excels at getting stuck in with a few tackles so that he can win possession back for his side. He is currently the primary holding midfielder in Gattuso’s starting XI but is versatile enough to play in a box-to-box role if required. The Brazilian midfield enforcer is not afraid to work his socks off to chase down lost causes at the centre of the park. He has also got a good football brain that allows him to distribute the ball accurately from midfield. Allan has successfully made 87.6% of his attempted passes in the Serie A this season which sheds light on how great he can be with the ball at his feet (stats via whoscored).
Ancelotti needs more fighters in his midfield as the likes of Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Tom Davies, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Morgan Schneiderlin have all failed to find a run of consistency as far as their performances are concerned in midfield. The Everton boss will enjoy being reunited with his former Napoli player if he can convince him to join the Toffees this summer. The Italian tactician has proven that he can get the best out of Allan during his managerial spell in Italy.
The Serie A midfielder will not only add more bite and steel to the Everton midfield but also increase competition for places within Ancelotti’s squad. Allan will also offer his former boss the freedom to change his formations, tactics and teamsheets more often in the coming seasons which is a bonus as it will help the Merseyside club compete across all competitions and reduce the effects of fixture congestion.
