If you’ve been keeping track of the mountain of rumours linking Napoli midfielder Allan to Everton this summer, then you’ll know it’s been a complicated affair.
Throughout the last six months, the Brazilian has managed to be something of a Schrödinger’s transfer, in that it’s been simultaneously happening and not happening.
This week brings good news for Everton fans, though, as it’s looking increasingly likely that the former of those two states will be the case, particularly if the Italian media are to be believed today.
First, there’s Il Mattino, who say that Carlo Ancelotti ‘pushes’ for Everton to sign Allan this summer and this week ‘could be the week of truth’ to discover his future.
They, though, make clear that there is significant competition for him, with Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund having ‘set their eyes’ on him too.
However, Gazzetta Dello Sport and Corriere Dello Sport say Everton have a trump card over those rivals; Allan wants to reunite with Ancelotti at Goodison Park.
He has two clubs willing to ‘contend’ for him, and one of those is Everton, who have stopped the bidding at €25m plus €5m in bonuses, which is nowhere near Napoli’s asking price of €40m.
Atlético are willing to pay that, but Allan has ‘already chosen’ and prefers Everton because he would be reunited with Ancelotti there.
Those two had a good working relationship during the Italian’s time in charge of Napoli, and Allan wants to rekindle that.
Corriere back this up stating that ‘Ancelotti wins’ and ‘beats Simeone’ to the capture of the Brazilian.
They explain that Allan ‘didn’t stall’ at the opportunity to move to Everton and the Premier League, and he has now shown ‘mad desires’ to make the move happen.
The two clubs are yet to agree on a fee and are very much in the ‘preliminary stage’ of negotiations but ‘the intention to reach a quick agreement is overwhelming’.
Atlético Madrid are mentioned again, as is the fact that they’re willing to pay €40m, but they wanted to include a player in the deal, and thus things were complicated.
That was one ‘obstacle’, but the other was Allan’s choice and the fact he has ‘practically said yes’ to Everton.
The newspaper also states that Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis has already spoken to Everton’s chairman – who they incorrectly say is Daniel Levy – and that there is an understanding they will need to meet to hash out the details of the move.
For that to happen, Everton will need to raise their bid and Napoli lower their demands, but there is a feeling they will ‘find themselves’ somewhere in the middle as Allan has made it clear he wants the move.
And that is because of Ancelotti’s presence on Merseyside, a significant factor in his thinking and a trump card that the likes of Atlético, PSG and Borussia Dortmund do not have in their pockets.
