Everton have received a huge blow in their pursuit of Swansea City playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson as the South Wales club have reportedly rejected a hefty £30 million for the Icelandic international, as Paul Clement stays determined to hold on to their best player next season.
The attacking midfielder has been phenomenal for the Swans in the second half of last season playing a significant role in their survival. The 27-year-old, as a result, now has the top Premier League sides vying for his signature that has made Swansea’s job all the more difficult.
With last season’s Premier League runners-up Tottenham Hotspur, Sigurdsson’s former club, also now in the race, the Icelandic playmaker will have a tough choice on his hands too. While Everton are financially stable enough to table an improved bid for the player, it doesn’t make a lot of sense on the part of the Merseyside club.
After the arrival of former AFC Ajax skipper Davy Klaassen for a substantial £26 million transfer fee, the Toffees boast of one of the best midfield bunches in the league for next season. In the likes of Idrissa Gueye, Morgan Schneiderlin, Tom Davies, Gareth Barry, Ross Barkley and now Klaassen, Koeman has the perfect blend of youth and experience in his midfield.
While the departure of Barkley is an increasing possibility this summer, it doesn’t slash their midfield potential heavily. Although a player like Sigurdsson would be a huge advantage for any side, he is unlikely to get a chance to express himself in this congestion.
Although the void left by the absence of Aaron Lennon and Yannick Bolasie would be a huge concern, Sigurdsson wouldn’t be as effective from the wide areas either. It is from the centre that he excels and with Davies and Klaassen already ready to take that role, the Swansea player looks redundant in the squad at the Goodison.
On the other hand, even an improved bid could be insufficient for Sigurdsson now, as Spurs are adamant in landing their former player after their initial £25 million bid was turned down. The player has scored 10 goals and assisted 13 times last season and despite having one of the best squads in England, Mauricio Pochettino has found it immensely difficult to provide backup for Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.
Everton further dragging the bid would ensure a war between the sides, which would only end up emptying the treasure of the winner. Apart from that, Sigurdsson’s underwhelming stints with Spurs and to some extent with Bundesliga Hoffenheim before that would indicate that he isn’t essentially a big team player. So is he a necessity for Everton?
