Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson completes Everton medical ahead of £45m move

Sport360 staff 20:43 16/08/2017
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  • Gylfi Sigurdsson

    Gylfi Sigurdsson’s switch from Swansea to Everton edged closer to completion on Wednesday as Toffees boss Ronald Koeman confirmed the midfielder had passed his medical.

    It emerged on Tuesday night that a deal worth up to £45 million for Sigurdsson had been agreed, which would be a record transfer fee paid out by the Merseyside club.

    Speaking at a press conference to preview Thursday’s Europa League qualifying play-off first leg against Hajduk Split, Koeman made it clear Everton’s recruitment of the 27-year-old Iceland international was all but finalised.

    “The latest is that he had his medical this morning and what I heard from the doctor was that there was no problem with that,” Koeman said.

    “I don’t know if still he needs to sign. But I saw him in the blue!”

    Sigurdsson’s proposed move has dragged on for much of the summer, with Swansea initially valuing their star man at £50m.

    Finally securing him now, at a slightly lower price, is set to take Everton’s spending since the end of last season to over £140m.

    Koeman, who has already this summer brought in the likes of Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez and Wayne Rooney, said of Sigurdsson: “We worked a long time to get this deal in and he was one of the key players to bring in.

    “We knew we would lose (Romelu) Lukaku for this season, with that we lost 25 goals, and we need players who will bring in productivity to the team.

    “He is that type of player, with a lot of productivity.

    “He knows the Premier League and he had really good seasons with Swansea. In my opinion he is, in his position, one of the best in the Premier League.”

    Sigurdsson, who scored nine goals and provided 13 assists in the league last term, pulled out of Swansea’s pre-season tour to the United States after Everton’s interest became clear.

    He rejoined first-team training upon Swansea’s return from the States but he did not figure in their Premier League opener at Southampton on Saturday.

    Sigurdsson will not feature in Thursday’s contest at Goodison Park, but Koeman has indicated he could make his Everton debut in Monday’s league clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

    “He will not be involved tomorrow,” Koeman said.

    “Maybe for Monday, I do not know. I need to talk to him and know what his physical state is. Let’s wait to see how the fitness is.”

    Meanwhile, Koeman has said Everton are waiting to learn the severity of an apparent hamstring problem suffered by Ross Barkley.

    Reports have suggested Barkley, whose future with the club remains unclear, is facing six weeks out due to a hamstring tear.

    Asked about that, Koeman said: “He stopped training, I think it was last Monday. It looks like a hamstring injury but we need to do more tests today and tomorrow to know exactly what the injury is. We need to wait.”

    The Dutchman added that there was “no update” in terms of the 23-year-old’s “situation”, and when asked if he was in his plans for the coming season, he said: “I will wait until the end of August.”

    Barkley, who is entering the last year of his contract, appears destined to leave the club having turned down the offer of a new deal.

    He has been linked with a move to Tottenham, but Koeman said last week there had been no offers for the England international.

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