Italian football writer Adam Digby has recently discussed Everton’s signing of Brazilian midfielder Allan from Serie A outfit Napoli.
On Saturday, the Toffees announced that they had secured the signing of the 29-year-old middleman (per Everton) and the transfer fee was believed to be around £21.7m (per BBC).
The player has previously played under Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti during the Italian gaffer’s year-and-a-half tenure with Napoli.
During Ancelotti’s time at the Stadio San Paolo, Allan made 61 appearances in which he scored one goal and assisted three (per Transfermarkt).
So, in a recent episode of the All Together Now podcast, Digby made an appearance and discussed Ancelotti’s decision to sign the midfielder from his former club.
He said: “[Allan] is a real character and a real kind of player you need in those instances [getting into European competitions] and last season, when it went pear-shaped for Napoli with Ancelotti, that was about the ownership and the coach and the players being on a different page.
“The playing squad really galvanised behind Ancelotti and it’s no surprise, really, to me, to see him go back to his former club.
“He wasn’t there long, but he’s gone back there and if Allan’s the one player who he brings from Napoli, to me, that just speaks volumes of what Ancelotti sees in Allan and thinks of him.
“He must have seen something in Allan and I think probably more as a man than even as a player, given the circumstances and the manner in which Ancelotti left Napoli.
“I think that says it all to me in the kind of guy that Allan is.”
TIF Thoughts…
As can be seen in what Digby had to say, he clearly believes that it says a lot about what the Italian manager thinks of the Brazilian midfielder if he is the only player he recruits from Napoli.
Do you think Carlo Ancelotti can get the best out of Allan at Everton?
No, he's past it now
Yes, I believe he can
Certainly, during the 2018/19 season under Ancelotti’s guidance, Allan enjoyed an impressive season individually as he earned a 7.13/10 average rating in Serie A (per WhoScored).
The same average rating for the Toffees during the most recent Premier League season would have made him their third-best performer (per WhoScored).
So, hopefully, Ancelotti will again be able to get a consistently high level of performance out of the 29-year-old middleman during the upcoming campaign.