In a move that upset Everton supporters, Carlo Ancelotti is very close to returning to Real Madrid as manager. What effect will this have on the club?
It was a surprise when Ancelotti came to Everton in December 2019 to replace Marco Silva. The Royal Blues finished 10th in Ancelotti’s first full season, after chasing European football for much of the season. Ancelotti’s CV is full of honours and he was expected to do the same at Goodison and going forward the new stadium.
It’s likely it’s off the field where Ancelotti’s loss could be most apparent. Ancelotti’s presence at Goodison helped bring in James Rodriguez and Allan, both of whom played under the Italian.
Would they have signed at Everton otherwise? Unlikely, especially with the Merseysiders not playing any European Football. The question also arises will Rodriguez stay?
What effect does the departure of Carlo Ancelotti have on Everton?
Kalidou Koulibaly has been linked with a move to Everton, but he’s another who played under Ancelotti and it’s hard to see him making a move to the Blueside of Merseyside without Ancelotti’s presence. The Italian’s presence has resulted in the Toffees being linked with just about everybody who played under Ancelotti.
It could also be seen as a blow to the club’s prestige and the desire to return to its status as one of English football’s top clubs. Everton haven’t lived up to their history in the Premier League era and it has cost the club.
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The transfer dealings will likely be on hold until a new manager is appointed. However, Ancelotti’s departure is not the end of the world. The Toffees still has an owner with deep pockets in Farhad Moishiri and Director of Football Marcel Brands still has plenty of contacts.
And Ancelotti hasn’t always played the youngsters, especially in the Premier League.
Youngsters Niels Nkounkou and Anthony Gordon were impressive in early season outings in the Carabao Cup, but Gordon was loaned to Preston and Nkounkou did earn a spot on the bench for some league games, but failed to make it on the pitch.
It was obvious the team needed pace and both provided it. Could they have made a difference, we didn’t get a chance to find out. Perhaps a different manager would do things differently.
The loan of Moise Kean raises questions, too. With Everton needing goals, the much-touted Italian was allowed to move on loan to PSG where he played well. Does Ancelotti’s move cloud or clear up Kean’s transfer status? These are just some of the questions Everton face with the departure of another manager.
What do you think, is the departure of Carlo Ancelotti a big blow for the Royal Blues?