Former Udinese manager Andrea Stramaccioni has offered insightful commentary on the qualities that Everton summer signing Allan brings to the Merseysiders.
The midfielder joined from Carlo Ancelotti’s former club Napoli in a transfer deal worth £21m in the summer, with the Brazilian having featured in 61 games under Ancelotti during his time at the Stadio San Paolo.
Allan has been pivotal in Ancelotti’s ambitions to rebuild the Toffees’ midfield, and Stramaccioni – who had the midfielder in his Udinese squad in 2014/15 – revealed exactly how important the has been and will be to Everton, telling the Toffees’ official website:
Allan immediately impressed me because of his hardworking attitude. He was pushing 110 per cent in every training session.
Sometimes too much and I calmed him down a little bit to manage his energy during the week. His character was always positive, whatever the circumstances, he didn’t change.
He grew up a lot in that season [2014/15], playing differently from his previous seasons in Italy.
Allan was young but clever. He was motivated and always at the team’s service. He learned a lot from the experienced players.
Allan had made more than 200 appearances for Serie A giants Napoli after joining from Udinese and played alongside Toffees forward Richarlison as Brazil won the 2019 Copa America. Watching his progress, Stramaccioni was observant of how the 29-year-old has improved:
His best skills are still stealing the ball and winning tackles. But he has improved a lot in supporting the attack and finishing.
He is positive, a hard worker, serious outside the pitch but always smiling. Every manager would be happy with a player like him.
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Stramaccioni’s insights reveal exactly how Allan can shore up the Toffees through the middle of the park.
His exemplary work rate, ball-winning abilities and professional attitude is explained superbly and succinctly.
This should come as less of a shock and more as an explanation for why Allan was so highly sought-after by Ancelotti and the Everton board. The 29-year-old is the ideal anchor man to reinforce and improve all elements of the Toffees’ team play as they look to push up the table.
