Ancelotti will give youngster time, unveils transfer plans

Everton have had much success this season since they switched to the two forward system with Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin feeding off each other and finding the back of the net often.

The pair have done so well together that former Juventus forward Moise Kean hasn’t had a sniff of a starting spot under Marco Silva, Duncan Ferguson or his countryman Carlo Ancelotti, but the veteran manager insisted he still had a place in the squad.

Kean has made all the wrong headlines in his first season, getting substituted on and then off, looking generally winded within minutes of coming on when he has played, and grabbing just the solitary goal before getting in trouble during the coronavirus lockdown for attending a house party where there was no social distancing happening whatsoever.

Fined two weeks of his wages, the teenager has reportedly shown remorse and has thrown himself into training and Ancelotti expects him to play a part against Leicester City today.

“I spoke with him, I spoke with everyone, about how important their behaviour is on the pitch and outside of the pitch.

“He knows really well how to behave and everyone knows how they have to behave. Everyone knows what I expect of them.

“It is important to consider the fact he came to a new country and, secondly, you have to consider that he is really young so maybe takes time to adapt.

“And thirdly, for most of the players it was difficult to move through this period because most of the time they were alone at home.

“We have to take all this into consideration and next season will be better for him.

“Moise is part of the team, of the squad. He didn’t play a lot this season but you have to consider that the competition up front is really high because we have fantastic strikers.

“But as I tell them, when they don’t play, they have to stay focused and be ready because the opportunity will come.”

The Toffees posted record losses last season and are expected to not be too active in the summer transfer window as Director of Football Marcel Brands attempts to lighten the wage bill. Everton sit in twelfth but know that a couple of good results in the next two games, as well as a strong finish could well see the Blues in Europe next season. However, when the manager was asked if transfer window plans would change should the Blues fail to qualify for the Europa League, Ancelotti insisted it would stay the same.

“Not at all. We are not talking about the next season. We are focused on this season and with or without Europa our plan for the future is clear.

“It would be a big achievement for all of us at the club if all the supporters could see European games but it is a long way to go.

“Not long because there are not a lot of games. It will be difficult but it is a possibility and we have to fight for the possibility. The next two games we play strong teams Leicester and Tottenham and Sheffield United. There are a lot of teams involved, so it will be exciting.”

While Brands seemed to indicate the Blues would at most bring in about three players to reinforce areas of weakness, Ancelotti said he would indeed have money to spend.

“I think so, I think so. We are not talking about this. The plan is very clear, the club is happy to improve the squad.

“In general you have to take into consideration the financial position of the club and then you have to act considering this. This is absolutely normal.

“It’s true this [COVID-19] has created more difficulties, but the plan that we have is quite clear and I hope it will be OK.”