Carlo Ancelotti says three of his Everton players boast the “knowledge, attitude and professionalism” to complete natural transitions into management.

Italian Ancelotti has pulled off the rare feat of following a wonderful playing career with enduring success as a boss at the elite end of the game.

The 61-year-old concedes he’s learned an awful lot since quitting playing after winning two European Cups and three domestic titles in spells with Roma and AC Milan – and accepting his first managerial post with Reggiana in Serie B 25 years ago.

High on the list of qualities Ancelotti has developed, in his own opinion, is the ability to delegate, accumulated as a serial trophy-winning boss with a selection of European superpower employers.

In his only previous Premier League job, at Chelsea, Ancelotti won the Double in 2009/10 with a team featuring current Stamford Bridge manager Frank Lampard.

Ancelotti admits he identified Lampard’s potential to manage from the outset and has noticed the same traits in the Everton trio of Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

“Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman have all the qualities to be good managers, Sigurdsson could also be a good manager,” Ancelotti told evertonfc.com.

“They all have strong football knowledge and good tactical understanding.

“They have the experience you need to manage a team.

“Character, also. They are different characters but all three can be managers – if they want to.

“The tactical knowledge comes from playing a lot of football and learning from experience and different people.

“They have the attitude and professionalism which are important qualities to be a good manager.

“And I am looking to see if someone [in Everton’s squad] can be a manager in the future.”

Ancelotti’s team has returned from the Premier League’s coronavirus shutdown to claim four points from games against Liverpool and Norwich City.

During nearly 10 weeks away from USM Finch Farm after the Club’s facilities were closed on 13 March, Ancelotti was content for his coaches and medical team to retain the lion’s share of contact with players.

Equally, he is comfortable for each member of his staff to make the final calls on issues concerning their respective areas of expertise.

Three times a Champions League winning manager, Ancelotti places great store by constructing a balanced and skilled team around him.

At Everton, where he has moved his side within striking distance of a European qualifying position, the former AC Milan and Real Madrid boss has mixed familiar colleagues from his homeland with senior personnel already in place to form a backroom team he trusts implicitly.

“It is really important to delegate, to keep the people working with you involved, not only from a tactical perspective,” added Ancelotti, a midfielder capped 26 times by Italy before retiring in 1992.

“When we have more experience, it is easier to give other people the possibility to have experience.

“I believe in people and I believe in the people working with me.

“I have no difficulties giving them the power to take choices and make decisions.

“I have a lot of trust in the people working with me and, for this reason, I give them the possibility to be involved more.

“It is very important to enable them to feel important for the team.

“The organisation of the Club is really good.

“We have a lot of people with a lot of knowledge, in the medical, technical and physical aspects.

“We have everything we need at Everton.

“The fact everybody is involved in our work creates a better atmosphere in the squad.”