Allan is raring to go for the new Premier League season and expects Everton's midfield to be more complete after hard work on the training pitch in pre-season.

The tenacious Brazilian managed 26 games in all competitions last term and it would have been more but for a hamstring injury that sidelined him for 11 weeks around the turn of the year.

Now, with a year of English football under his belt, the 30-year-old believes the foundations of understanding are in place to improve performances heading into a new campaign. 

"Without a doubt it's very important to know your midfield partners," Allan said, ahead of the Blues' Premier League curtain-raiser against Southampton at Goodison Park on Saturday. "It's important to be aware of their qualities - their strengths and also their limitations. 

"You look at your fellow midfielders and the aim is to complete and complement each other. 

"We talk a lot to each other in training, all the midfielders. 

"We work hard on this - to complete each other - and the results of this will hopefully show positively this season.

"Last season was interesting for me because it's quite a different league, a different style of football to the Italian league. It's quicker, more intense. I had a lot of help from my teammates and the staff. 

"I've come to a massive, great club, where I've been really well received and made to feel welcome. Everyone has given me the support I need to make me feel at home."

Last season, Allan was frequently deployed alongside fellow 2020 summer recruit Abdoulaye Doucoure, a player he holds in high esteem.

"Abdoulaye's biggest strength is his intensity on the pitch," said Allan. "He intercepts a lot of balls, brings quality and he can also score goals. 

"His dedication on the pitch really helps the other players and the team as a whole."

This summer provided Allan with a welcome chance to fully recuperate, having helped his nation successfully qualify for the 2022 World Cup 12 months ago.

And after an unprecedented 18 months amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rio de Janeiro native says he has been left with a more philosophical outlook on life.

"I managed to spend time with family after two years of not being able to go to Brazil," he explained, when asked about the off-season. "I saw my brothers and sisters, spent time with my mum and saw people I hadn't seen for a long time. It was really productive - it gave me the opportunity to recharge my batteries before the start of the new season.

"[The pandemic] has caused huge changes, not just in football but everywhere in life over this past year and a half. 

"It's a learning experience, we learn and we change the way we live. 

"We make the most of every moment with our families and the people closest to us. 

"We value the opportunity of working hard and playing football, which is what we love to do most. 

"I think it's been a lesson to make the most of life and to value the small things in life, because we never know what is going to happen."