Carlo Ancelotti is not completely convinced with the squad at Everton and is expected to make quite a few signings this summer. One such player now on Everton’s radar is Napoli midfielder, Allan Marques Loureiro.
A story from Express Sport claims that Ancelotti is keen on a reunion with Allan this summer. The Brazilian midfielder is one of many players Napoli are happy to sell and have slapped a price tag of around £36m.
The same report claims that Everton value Allan at around the £20m mark, which has stalled this deal. But should Everton meet the Serie A side’s valuation this summer?
Allan And His Time In Italy
The 29-year-old moved to Italy for the first time with Udinese back in 2012 and spent three long years in the first team.
He earned a move to Napoli in 2015 and slowly developed into one of the most consistent players in his role in Italy.
Allan started just 16 Serie A games last season but has 212 appearances for Napoli, where he has 11 goals and 16 assists to his name, playing in a deeper midfield role.
A defensive midfielder by trait, Allan is equally comfortable in a central midfield role and has also put in a shift on the right flank when needed for his side.
Ancelotti, in his time at San Paolo, used Allan as a part of his two-man midfield in a 4-2-3-1 system to decent effect. Allan’s ability to turn defence into attack quickly makes Ancelotti’s system that much more effective and could make Everton a more balanced side.
Allan is not only adept at cutting off passing lanes and providing cover for his backline, but he is also capable of finding the right pass, even under pressure and is usually a dangerous threat in counter-attacking situations.
The 29-year-old is not a regular in the Brazil national side but has nine caps to his name. He is an experienced campaigner and working with Ancelotti again could be enough of a lure for Everton to land him this summer.
Allan: Right Man For Everton?
Ancelotti has an exciting prospect in Tom Davies in his ranks for this role and the player put in a decent shift in the recently concluded season, even though fans’ expectation of him is much more.
Andre Gomes, Morgan Schneiderlin and even Fabian Delph were used in the deeper midfield roles last season but Allan will walk straight into the starting XI and provide a different dimension to the Everton midfield.
Portuguese star Andre Gomes is still a decent option in transition but a partnership of Allan and Davies is a more balanced option for Ancelotti. The Napoli star adds fluidity to the midfield, so with him in the side, the manager can be open to exploring other formations that can be more fruitful for the Merseyside outfit.
The difference in valuation of the player by both clubs could see Everton drag this story on. But Allan is an established star in Europe and will certainly make Everton stronger, so this deal is a no-brainer for The Toffees.
