Exclusive – Everton are hoping to complete the high-profile transfers of both James Rodriguez and Allan this week on permanent deals from Real Madrid and Napoli respectively.
The Toffees will spend in excess of £50m to land the two midfielders, both of whom have already arrived on Merseyside to go through the formalities of the transfers.
90min revealed last month that Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has requested more input into the recruitment process this summer, realising the job of achieving the club’s ambitions is bigger than he initially thought following a disappointing 12th-placed Premier League finish in 2019/20.
Up to now, recruitment has been overseen by director of football Marcel Brands since 2018, but owner Farhad Moshiri has granted Ancelotti’s wish to have a considerable say.
The three-time Champions League winning coach also asked for major financial backing in the transfer market and the impending acquisitions of James and Allan are now evidence of that. Even though both are 29 and it represent a significant investment, Ancelotti’s influence has been felt.
James made it clear to Ancelotti that he wanted to work with the Italian again, having already done so at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. The proposed permanent transfer for the Colombian to play under Ancelotti at a third club is edging towards completion.
Allan, meanwhile, is a player that Ancelotti admired during their time together at Napoli. The Brazilian has established himself as a renowned box-to-box midfielder at Stadio San Paolo.
90min can also report that Everton are still talking to Watford over French midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. As things stand, the Toffees have not met the £30m asking price for the relegated player, but they are willing to add fringe players as potential makeweights to bring the number down.
Winger Yannick Bolasie and midfielder Muhamed Besic are among those Everton are prepared to let go. Neither has played for the club in the last two seasons, with Bolasie spending time on loan at Aston Villa, Anderlecht and Sporting CP, and Besic at Middlesbrough and Sheffield United.
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Source : 90min