In a recent report, Il Mattino provided an update on Everton‘s pursuit of Napoli midfielder Allan as they claimed that the Toffees have already got an agreement in place with the player over a potential deal worth €4.8m per year. It is believed that the Merseyside club has reignited their interest in the Brazilian midfield ace with Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso prepared to give his ‘blessing’ to cash in on his prized asset this summer (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Allan’s Solid Season At San Paolo Stadium
The Rio de Janeiro-born talent has a wealth of experience in Italian football and is usually a reliable performer for the Naples outfit at the centre of the park. He had got two goals and one assist to his name in 33 matches for the Italian giants last season across all fronts.
On the defensive end, Allan has averaged 2.5 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.7 clearances and 2.5 long balls per game in the Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. The 29-year-old has taken care of the ball well in Gattuso’s midfield after completing 87.4% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
The eight-time Brazilian international is a well-rounded player who loves to operate as a holding midfielder. He can also run with the ball well and can be used as a box-to-box midfielder if required. However, Allan has struggled to be creative in the opposition half, which is a side of his game he needs to work on if he wants to taste more silverware at the highest level.
What Will The Brazilian Midfield Ace Add To Carlo Ancelotti’s Team?
Allan will stabilise the Everton midfield and add more variety to their build-up from midfield. He is proficient at getting himself down and dirty with a few tackles and doesn’t mind jostling for every loose possession of the ball at the centre of the park. However, the Brazilian sensation needs to be more inventive with his passes going forward as he has often relied on playing a safe pass backwards rather than try and open up the opposition defence with a risky pass in the final third.
Either way, Allan will add some bite and steel to Ancelotti’s midfield at Goodison Park before the start of the new campaign. The Brazilian has all the skill set required to play football in the Premier League, but one can argue whether he can cope with the physical nature and high intensity of English football next season.
At 29, Allan still has a lot to offer while his former manager and current Everton boss, Carlo Ancelotti could be the perfect man to get the best out of him in the coming years. The Toffees have currently got Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph, Tom Davies and Gylfi Sigurðsson fighting for a first-team spot at Merseyside.
However, Allan would be an upgrade over any of them as he has the experience and the defensive prowess to have a prosperous time at the north-west of England. Plus, he could also help Everton keep more clean sheets at the back if Ancelotti can find a way to land him this summer.
