Everton hopeful of agreeing deal for James Rodríguez with Real Madrid

Everton remain hopeful of agreeing a deal to sign James Rodríguez as negotiations with Real Madrid over permanent transfer for the Colombia midfielder continue.

It is understood that Carlo Ancelotti spoke to Rodríguez last week in an attempt to persuade him to move to Merseyside, with Real believed to want around £25m for a player they signed for a reported £63m from Monaco in 2014. The 29-year-old has just one year of his contract remaining in the Spanish capital and started just five league matches under Zinedine Zidane last season.

Rodríguez is thought to earn in the region of £140,000 a week but could be persuaded to agree a long-term contract worth less having previously worked under Ancelotti at Real and Bayern Munich. The former Porto and Monaco playmaker has been excused from pre-season training in order to resolve his future and while there is no final agreement between the parties yet, Ancelotti is confident Rodríguez will be an Everton player before the start of the new season.

Ancelotti’s first signing as Everton manager is expected to be another player he has worked with previously, the Brazilian midfielder Allan, after the club agreed a fee worth £22m (€25m) plus £2.6m in add-ons with Napoli.

Personal terms are also believed to be have been agreed with the 29-year-old, who is scheduled to undergo a medical on Merseyside this week. Napoli’s chairman, Aurelio De Laurentiis, told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli: “We are at the final farewell. Allan will go to Everton.”

Everton remain in the market for another central midfield player and have held talks with Watford over Abdoulaye Doucouré.