Everton determined to sign Gylfi Sigurdsson

Everton remain determined to sign Gylfi Sigurdsson and will not be discouraged by Swansea City placing a £50m price tag on the midfielder’s head. Swansea’s valuation exceeds what Everton hope to pay for a player who was directly involved in 22 Premier League goals last season, but there is no let up in their pursuit and also a desire to get a transfer agreed as soon as possible.

Leicester City have also showed interest in signing Sigurdsson this summer and already had an offer rejected by Swansea, although it is understood that there is no prospect of the 27-year-old moving to the King Power Stadium. Everton, in that sense, are the player’s only realistic suitors as Ronald Koeman’s ambitious summer spending continues to gather pace in a bid to secure Champions League qualification next season.

It now remains to be seen whether Swansea will soften their stance at all during what is seen as a critical 48 hours, with Sigurdsson due to fly to the United States on Thursday morning with Paul Clement and the rest of the squad for their pre-season tour. Swansea have said that Sigurdsson will be on the plane, and it will be interesting to see whether that turns out to be the case.

The Welsh club have adopted a bullish approach over Sigurdsson’s future amid mounting speculation over the last six weeks or so. The Icelander has three years remaining on the contract that he signed last summer, making him the best-paid player at the club, and Swansea are under no financial pressure to sell their most influential individual – all of which strengthens their arm when it comes to any negotiations over the asking price.

Everton, however, are not going to be deterred even if they believe £50m is excessive. They signed Ashley Williams, the Swansea captain, last summer and are hell-bent on bringing Sigurdsson to Goodison Park as well. That prospect will be the all more appealing to Sigurdsson on the back of a summer when Everton have spent close to £100m, signing Wayne Rooney, Michael Keane, Sandro Ramírez, Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen, Henry Onyekuru and Nathangelo Markelo.

Clement, the Swansea head coach, has refused to concede defeat but admitted there is “clearly some very strong interest” in Sigurdsson. “Gylfi has been an excellent player here. He has three years on his contract and if any business is going to be done, it will be done on the terms we want,” Clement said. “The club recognised his contribution by giving him an extended contract last season. He was happy to stay on here. At the moment he is a Swansea player and we have to carry on looking at it that way.”

Swansea have sold Jack Cork to Burnley for a fee of £8m with another £1.5m in potential add-ons. The midfielder has signed a four-year deal with Sean Dyche’s side.

Guardian