ICELANDIC SAGA
Sigurdsson’s dream move finally realised
though privately he told Swansea manager Paul Clement this summer that he wished to leave once Everton made their interest official.
Leicester City also made a £ 40m offer but Sigurdsson had set his heart on a move to Goodison Park.
He refused to travel to the USA for Swansea’s pre-season tour and also missed their Birmingham friendly.
The Icelander is expected to be unveiled to the Goodison Park crowd before tomorrow’s Europa League play-off with Hajduk Split.
He scored nine goals and created 13 more last season, and was Swansea’s player of the year in each of the previous two seasons.
Though Swansea had publicly declared they wanted £50m for him, discussions had centred on the £40m mark.
Sigurdsson will become Everton’s record signing, beating the £31.8m they paid Chelsea for striker romelu Lukaku in 2014. They have enjoyed a productive transfer window, re-signing Wayne rooney from Manchester United and spending a potential £30m each on centre back Michael Keane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Midfielder davy Klaassen arrived from Ajax for £23.6m and striker Sandro ramirez from Malaga for £5.2m.
Swansea will now rebuild their squad with the funds from the sale of Sigurdsson, with their former striker Wilfried Bony — who is valued at £13m by Manchester City — considered a priority, as is West Bromwich Albion’s £25m Belgium winger Nacer Chadli.
Swansea striker Fernando Llorente, meanwhile, will miss Manchester United’s Premier League visit on Saturday as he recovers after fracturing his arm on a cycling holiday.
‘Because of the nature of the injury to the arm, he lost a lot of upper-body bulk,’ said Swansea boss Clement.
GYLFI SIGURDSSON will sign for Everton today after they finally agreed a club-record £45million fee for the midfielder with Swansea City. The Iceland international travelled up to Merseyside last night ahead of a medical today, when he is poised to end a transfer saga that has rumbled on for over 12 months by signing a five-year contract worth over £100,000 a week. Sigurdsson has maintained a dignified silence throughout,