Pair-fect fit for Ancelotti

EVERTON have received a double boost in their audacious moves for Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez and Napoli’s Allan.

Rodriguez was absent from Real’s return to training yesterday as he moves closer to completing his switch to the Premier League.

And Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says Brazilian Allan’s £25m switch to Goodison Park should be announced soon.

Rodriguez, 29, was missing when Zinedine Zidane’s squad assembled at their Valdebebas training HQ yesterday to be tested for Coronavirus and begin their preparations for the new season.

Everton are finalising the terms of his move from Real and the Spanish giants want around £22m for Rodriguez.

The Colombian has entered the final year of his deal at the Bernabeu and the Toffees hope to sign him for less than that.

They are confident of securing Rodriguez because all three parties want the transfer to happen and he could have his medical on Merseyside this week.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti (inset)

managed him at Real when he joined for £71m from Monaco in 2014 and then in his first loan spell at Bayern Munich, and persuaded him to move to Merseyside in a phone call last week. Rodriguez, who starred in the 2014 World Cup, believes he can rekindle his career in England after his difficult time at Real where he scored just once in 14 appearances last season.

In the past, he has spoken of his desire to come to the Premier League after playing in Portugal, France, Spain and Germany.

Ancelotti will also be reunited with Allan at Goodison. He spent 18 months working with the Brazil midfielder before his sacking at

Napoli last December.

De Laurentiis, who had previously said

Everton would not breach his club’s “impenetrable armour” to sign Allan, claims that the club have said goodbye to the

South

American.

Allan, 29, said farewell to his

Napoli team-mates on Friday. “We are at the final greetings,” De Laurentiis told local radio. “Allan will go to

Everton. The deal will be announced soon.”