Everton still eyeing Sigurdsson despite signing £26m Klaassen
GYLFI Sigurdsson is STILL an Everton target – despite them splashing out £26m for Ajax star Davy Klaassen.
And there are no suggestions Ronald Koeman has been put off his chase for the Swansea City star after being given a firm ‘hands-off’ warning from Liberty officials last month.
Netherlands international Klaassen has agreed terms over a move from the Dutch giants to Everton with the big-money deal expected to be formally completed within the next 48 hours. It follows the agreement for a £30m swoop for Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The double swoop has led to some claims that Koeman has given up on luring Sigurdsson away from South Wales after Swansea majority shareholder Steve Kaplan issued a stern warning over the Iceman’s future just a few weeks back.
The combined cost together with midfielder Klaassen known for his ability to add an attacking edge – scoring 19 goals for the Eredivisie champions last term – gave hope to fearful Swans fans that Everton would opt against pursuing a deal for Sigurdsson any further.
Yet sources on Merseyside have indicated that the Liberty hero remains very much in Koeman’s sights and that there will still be money in the Goodison budget to try and test Swansea’s resolve.
Everton’s finances took a huge boost following the takeover by Farhad Moshiri last year and there will be still enough cash to up the £25m offer they made for Sigurdsson last summer.
And with Romelu Lukaku expected to head to Chelsea in a megamoney deal, the thoughts on Merseyside is that their aims to snatch Sigurdsson are very much alive.
There are even suggestions that Everton would be willing to match Swansea’s minimum price tag of £40m – set after the club blocked Everton advances last summer as well as renewed interest in the January window. Inquiries over £30m-plus admiration from China were also rebuffed in the winter.
However, Swansea’s stance is understood to have remained the same with regards to Sigurdsson, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham about a return to White Hart Lane.
West Ham, Leicester and Southampton – who this week axed manager Claude Puel – have also been linked with the 27-year-old but Swansea believe that they will be able to stand firm in the face of all offers.
There is a belief that Sigurdsson will not demand a move unless it is to one of the biggest clubs – possibly a Champions League outfit – and that Swansea would be prepared to even stand in the way of offers of £40m – £12m more than the record fee received for Wilfried Bony from Manchester City in January 2015.
And it is not thought that Tottenham are looking prepared to go to that figure for a player who has three years remaining on the bumper Swansea deal he signed last summer.
There are not thought to have been any suggestions from Sigurdsson to the club that he would actively seek a Swansea exit.
The Iceland No.10 – who won his 50th cap for his country in the weekend World Cup qualifying win over Croatia – is currently on holiday as speculation continues.
Having previously stated he was not looking to leave South Wales, he did not comment further on his future while in international camp aside from saying a recent fan video pleading for the club’s player of the season to stay was “pretty good”.
Swansea are aware that there is likely to be further moves for Sigurdsson this summer but remain adamant they are prepared to keep hold of their talent.
Top-scorer Fernando Llorente has again stated he will be happy to stay at Swansea despite links of a move away, telling Spanish reporters he wants to see out his contract at the Liberty.
Llorente, 32, signed a two-year deal when he arrived from Sevilla last August.