So the Carlo Ancelotti revolution is beginning to take shape.
The Italian’s arrival as Everton manager has coincided with a sharp upturn in form, with the Toffees losing just twice in the Premier League – and they were away from home against Manchester City and Arsenal respectively.
But just as important as the matters on the pitch, it appears the former Milan boss is also beginning to shape things off it. The 60-year-old has seen it and done it all at club level, winning multiple Champions League titles, and claiming trophies in various different countries.
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He’s built up the kind of reputation and respect that players would unsurprisingly be left in awe of. No disrespect to Marco Silva, but Ancelotti’s profile in the game is like chalk and cheese compared to the Portuguese man.
And that is perhaps one of the big reasons behind the incredibly positive development of Mason Holgate signing a new contract with the club. The Toffees confirmed via their official website that the 23-year-old has penned a fresh five-year deal at Goodison Park, and his comments certainly have a sense of his decision being influenced by Ancelotti’s arrival.
“The direction the club is going, it is a great club to be at and I am really excited about it. We want to move to the next step and push for bigger and better things. I want to win things – and winning some silverware is where I see us. It is definitely a positive time to be here and I am looking forward to seeing how far we can go.”
Under Silva, Holgate endured a frustrating start to the season. Until 26 October, he had played just 18 minutes of Premier League football, with the majority of his time being spent on the bench.
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Indeed, in the two campaigns that the former Watford boss was at the helm, the £6.3m-rated ace only made 18 total appearances across all competitions. He clearly wasn’t the biggest of favourites under Ancelotti’s predecessor, and it’s difficult to imagine whether he would have seen his long-term future at Goodison Park had Silva stayed.
But instead, Ancelotti’s arrival has coincided with him now establishing himself as a first-choice centre-back, playing the full 90 minutes in every single game bar one. The Italian has handed Holgate a new lease of life, and is perhaps the biggest factor behind why the 23-year-old signed a new deal.
Meanwhile, Everton’s team would be complete if they signed this attacking midfielder.