Swansea City’s head coach, Paul Clement, has said Gylfi Sigurdsson’s proposed move to Everton could be completed “in the next couple of days”, with the clubs finalising the details of his £50m-rated transfer.
Everton have had club-record bids worth up to £40m and £45m rejected for the Iceland midfielder, who took part in an open training session at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday. Following the session Clement revealed transfer negotiations have progressed and a deal that could see Swansea receive their £50m asking price for the 27-year-old, possibly including a player exchange, is close.
Clement said: “He [Sigurdsson] will not play [the friendly] against Sampdoria on Saturday. Talks are still going on and hopefully we are going to get some news in the next couple of days. The deal needs to be the best for all parties involved, we have got a very important season coming up.
“We know what happened last season if you don’t make a good start and we don’t want that to happen again. We want to make a good start and everyone wants to know what our squad is going to be going on to the first game of the season.”
Swansea are keen to avoid a repeat of the transfer dealing with Everton last summer, when the late departure of their captain Ashley Williams to Goodison Park disrupted the defence and contributed to a relegation-threatened campaign.
Clement is keen to strengthen at full-back this summer and Callum Connolly, a promising 19-year-old defender who was part of England Under-20s World Cup-winning squad, could be part of Everton’s latest offer for Sigurdsson.
The Swansea head coach said he would be open to a cash-plus-player offer. “Assuming it is the right player coming our way and it is someone we are interested in and fills a need in our squad. Those deals will always have potential. I hope it is done today, either way, whether that is selling or not, but we need a quick resolution.”
A deal for Sigurdsson would take Everton’s summer spending close to £150m. Ronald Koeman, who is in Slovakia preparing for the Europa League qualifying return against Ruzomberok on Thursday, is also keen to sign a striker and a left-sided defender before the transfer deadline.
Captain pens new deal
Phil Jagielka has signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at Goodison Park until 2019.
The 34-year-old moved to Merseyside from Sheffield United a decade ago and has represented England on 40 occasions.
He had been linked with a transfer away this summer but Koeman is light on defenders due to long-term injuries to Séamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori.