Carlo Ancelotti adapted the role of Allan at Napoli and could do the same at Everton next season.
The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich manager is hoping to conclude a deal for the Napoli midfielder after striking a £22m agreement.
Ancelotti will look for the 29-year-old Brazilian to be a pivotal part of his midfield vision and their time together at Stadio San Paolo could offer several hints to how he will operate at Goodison Park.
Allan was a first-team regular by the time Ancelotti succeeded Chelsea-bound Maurizio Sarri in the Napoli hot-seat during the summer of 2018 having made 132 appearances for the Partenopei in three seasons following his move from Udinese in 2015.
He thrived in the much-analysed 4-3-3 system under Sarri - sitting on the right-hand side of a midfield three that included the deep-lying Jorginho and more attack-minded Marek Hamsik - becoming the scuttling warrior who was snappy in the tackle and energetic in the press.
During the final season with Sarri, Allan established himself as one of Serie A’s most consistent midfielders.
Hugely effective out of possession, he ranked 11th among the league’s midfielders in defensive duels attempted with 9.52 per 90, according to Twenty3 data.
Impressively, he ranked as high as sixth in ball recoveries in the opponent’s half with 4.67 per game, 0.75 of which were ‘dangerous’ recoveries, often pushing Napoli onto the front foot after regaining possession.
But to paint Allan as merely a destroyer would be inaccurate; a competent ball-carrier, he completed 3.11 dribbles per 90 and directly contributed to seven goals (four goals and three assists).
But under Ancelotti his role changed slightly.
Whereas the 4-3-3 of his predecessor focused on short, repetitive passing, Ancelotti made heavier use of wide areas with a 4-4-2, placing a greater emphasis on Allan’s defensive qualities.
With Fabian Ruiz - who joined following Jorginho’s departure to Chelsea - given more licence to roam and influence Napoli’s attacking style, Allan was often tasked with anchoring the midfield.
He increased his attempted defensive actions per 90 from 13.27 to 16.64, while he dramatically upped his interceptions from 3.53 to 4.9.
Under Ancelotti, Allan won 2.82 defensive duels per 90, placing him third among Serie A’s midfielders, while only one player attempted more than his 11.52 defensive duels per 90.
But while the former Vasco de Gama midfielder’s base position may have been altered under Ancelotti, this did not diminish his ball-winning abilities in the opponent’s half. In fact, he managed 4.8 per 90, a slight increase on the 4.67 he posted in Sarri’s final season.
Unsurprisingly, given the frequency with which Napoli’s play went through Jorginho, Allan became a more influential passer under Ancelotti, increasing his forward, final third, long and through passes.
In fact, he proved adept at opening up defences with his 0.86 through passes per 90 ranking him sixth for Serie A’s midfielders.
Allan drastically increased his pressing under Ancelotti, too, going from 1.29 to 5.85 per 90, illustrating how effective he can be in defending from the front as well as shielding the defence from a deeper base position.
What does this mean for Everton? It will offer them two different types of player; a disciplined destroyer whose remit is to hassle and harry opponents, or a more liberated midfield presence who can become a factor in the final third.
Allan turns 30 in January and while Everton may miss out on gaining a profit from him when he leaves, as an efficient and highly-regarded midfielder with an abundance of Champions League experience, he certainly represents a significant upgrade on Ancelotti’s current options.
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