Everton would have to pay Swansea City more for Gylfi Sigurdsson than Bayern handed Real Madrid for James Rodriguez.
Gylfi Sigurdsson is one of the finest playmakers in the Premier League, a bonafide neutral’s darling whose nine goals and 13 assists in 2016/17 ensured there will be a Welsh representative in the top flight next season.
Then again, if given the choice, how many of you would handpick the Icelandic schemer over the wondrous left boot of James Rodriguez?
The Colombian magician may have endured two difficult seasons at Real Madrid, starting just 30 La Liga games under Rafael Benitez and Zinedine Zidane, but he remains one of the most exciting, effective attacking midfielders in world football. He contributed to more goals than any other midfielder in Spain’s top flight last season.
Therefore, it’s not just the speed of his sudden and unexpected move to Bayern Munich that sent Twitter into meltdown. It’s the cost of the deal.
Not bad for a player who cost Real £41 million more just three years ago.
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Therefore, it’s tempting to shake your head in bewilderment amid reports that Swansea City would demand £50 million, yes 50 million British pound coins, to land Sigurdsson this summer. The Independent claim that Everton determined to land the former Tottenham playmaker as Ronald Koeman puts together a squad capable of gate-crashing the top four next season.
With Ross Barkley out of contract next year and his future uncertain, Sigurdsson looks like the ideal readymade replacement.
However, if Everton splash out £20 million more for a player who spent last season fighting off relegation with Swansea than Bayern paid for a two-time Champions League winner, the Premier League would perhaps never look so absurd.
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