Carlo Ancelotti is convinced Allan’s passion and energy and quality on the ball will improve Everton – and endear the Club's highly-rated signing to his new supporters.

Midfielder Allan completed his transfer to Everton from Napoli on Saturday, hours before Ancelotti’s team concluded their pre-season action with a straight forward 2-0 victory over Preston North End.

The new man watched from Goodison Park’s Main Stand as goals either side of half-time from Jonjoe Kenny and Dominic Calvert-Lewin defeated Preston.

But Ancelotti is confident Allan will be involved when Everton open their Premier League season at Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday – with centre-back Yerry Mina also poised to be fit for the trip to north London.

Ancelotti, who will check on Mason Holgate on Sunday after the defender hurt his toe against Preston, managed Allan at Napoli for close to 18 months and made the 29-year-old a priority target this summer.

“I think Allan is a fantastic player, he has fantastic energy and quality in midfield,” Ancelotti told evertontv.

“I know him very well and he knows me.

“Our supporters will love him because he plays with a lot of passion.

“He is a fantastic signing for us.

“He is going to improve the squad and our supporters will love him, for sure.

“Tactically he is really good. Really strong defensively, he wins a lot of balls.

“He is aggressive and he is Brazilian, so he is able to do both – [contribute] with the ball and without the ball.”

Allan comes to England after eight years in Italy. He swapped Udinese for Napoli in 2015 and played a combined 262 Serie A games for the two clubs.

A Copa America champion with Brazil last summer – Allan won the first of his nine caps in 2018 when he was flourishing with Ancelotti in Naples – the player leaves Napoli directly after winning the Coppa Italia.

In 61 appearances under Ancelotti at the Stadio San Paolo, Allan was on the winning side 34 times, drawing 14 games.

The Everton manager was thrilled, then, to receive the backing of his club when he wanted to pursue Allan in this close season.

“I appreciate a lot the effort of the Club and Board to have this player,” said Ancelotti.

“We are looking in the market to try to improve the squad.

“And we are looking until the end of the market.

“For sure, with Allan we are going to improve.

“Allan is a leader by example.

“He is not a guy who talks a lot in the dressing room but he is a funny guy.

“Really serious [about his football] and professional.

“I have no doubt about him.

“He came back fit [from the summer break].

“He trained today [Saturday] and I think he has no problem to go into the team

“He can play [at Tottenham].”

Ancelotti was missing a host of players due to international commitments for the Goodison friendly with Preston.

Everton were nevertheless accomplished in brushing off the Championship side.

Full-back Kenny slid home after seven minutes to put Everton in front and with 25 minutes remaining Calvert-Lewin converted a cross from Richarlison, playing his first game of pre-season.

Everton were particularly depleted in the goalkeeping position, with the trio of Jordan Pickford, Jonas Lossl and Joao Virginia away with their countries.

But 18-year-old Harry Tyrer stepped in to tremendous effect, making two fine stops and showing composure and ability with the ball at his feet.

The one low on Everton’s afternoon came with the sight of Holgate being withdrawn on 31 minutes after hurting his toe in a challenge for the ball.

There was, though, good news on Mina, who has been sidelined since sustaining a quadriceps problem two months ago.

“Yerry started to train this week and he is going to be fit for Sunday,” said Ancelotti.

“Mason had a problem with his toe. I hope it will be nothing serious.

“We are going to check tomorrow.

“It was a good performance in the game because we didn’t have all the squad here.

“We tried a different shape (4-3-3) and I think it worked quite well.

“Richarlison did well – up front we did well, we tried to combine well from the back.

“Sometimes we had more difficulties but the performance overall was good.

“Harry did really well. With his feet, he made really good passes, we built up really well from him.

“We have to continue to work the same way and we have one week to prepare for the season.”