According to a recent report by Calciomercato, Allan is set to part ways with Napoli at the end of this campaign amid interest from Everton and Paris Saint-Germain. The same source has also mentioned that the Brazilian playmaker’s relationship with his head coach Gennaro Gattuso has deteriorated over the past nine months which could lead to his departure from Naples with the Toffees likely to retain their interest in the player this summer.
Allan’s Season Has Been Full Of Mixed Emotions At Napoli
The former Udinese talent has endured a challenging season in the Serie A after struggling to perform at a high level at Naples so far. He has been involved in 24 matches for the Italian outfit this term, registering one goal and one assist across all fronts. Allan has mostly been deployed in a holding midfield role which could be one of the main reasons why he has struggled to contribute more often going forward.
Defensively, the Brazilian midfield ace has averaged 2.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 0.5 clearances per game in the Italian top-flight so far (stats via whoscored). To his credit, he has performed a bit better in Europe after averaging 3.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 1.7 clearances in every 90 minutes of UEFA Champions League football this season (stats via whoscored). Gattuso has often overlooked his defensive contributions, so maybe a change of scenery this summer could benefit both the player and his current employers.
The Rio de Janeiro-born workhorse has also represented the Brazilian national team in eight matches but is still waiting to net his first goal for his country. The 29-year-old is currently not in Brazil manager Tite’s plans for next year’s Copa America which has been pushed back to the summer of 2021 as a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, an impressive season in England could tip the scales back in Allan’s favour as far as his future with the national team is concerned.
What Are The Eight-Time Brazil International’s Best Attributes?
Allan loves to go in for a few tackles as he is the primary holding midfielder of the current Napoli side. He doesn’t mind going to the ground to win possession back for his team. The Serie A midfielder has a tireless work ethic and he excels at chasing down lost causes at the centre of the park. He can also read the game well when distributing the ball from midfield. Allan has completed 87.6% of his attempted passes in league football this season which goes to show how careful he can be with the ball at his feet (stats via whoscored).
Should The Toffees Launch A Bid For Allan This Summer?
At 29, Allan will serve as a perfect short-term acquisition for Carlo Ancelotti’s side before the start of the new season. He will not add some bite and steel to the Everton midfield but also provide some healthy competition for the likes of Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Tom Davies, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Morgan Schneiderlin at Goodison Park.
A player of Allan’s skillset will offer Ancelotti the freedom to play a more expansive brand of football at Merseyside next season. The Brazilian is good enough to anchor the midfield on his own or work together with a suitable midfield partner, who can also create plays around him.
Recruiting the Napoli star will go a long way in helping the Toffees bridge the gap to the Premier League’s big spenders as long as Ancelotti can get the best out of his former player in the coming seasons. Hence, it makes a lot of sense for the Italian tactician to arrange a move to lure Allan to the north-west of England in this off-season.
