Icelandic playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson won’t be swapping Swansea City for Everton. Thankfully, Ronald Koeman can count on Ross Barkley these days.
In hindsight, it’s little surprise that Swansea City will not even consider selling Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton in the January transfer window. If Paul Clement’s side are teetering above the relegation drop zone despite the Icelandic international’s pinpoint set piece delivery and classy through balls, imagine where they’d be without him.
According to The Mirror, Everton, along with a Dimitri Payet-deprived West Ham, were eyeing up a mid-season move though the £25 million Swan has expressed his desire to help the South Coast strugglers, who gave him his chance in the Premier League after bringing him over from Hoffenheim, retain their top flight status.
Yet, this news is certainly a lot less damaging to Everton today than it would have been a week ago. After all, if the 4-0 battering of Manchester City proved anything, it’s that The Toffees apparent lack of creativity has perhaps been overblown.
Kevin Mirallas looked a carbon copy of his 2011 vintage, all direct darts and clinical finishing, but it was the performance of the much-maligned Ross Barkley that got Everton fans talking.
It wouldn’t take much for the England powerhouse to improve upon his previous displays under Ronald Koeman but, in his favoured number 10 role, Barkley ran riot, setting up Mirallas’ and Davies’ strikes with perfectly weighted through balls.
And, while that City thrashing was perhaps the clearest indication that he is slowly rebooting his career in Everton blue, the fact is that Barkley has been much improved since Koeman handed him a freer role behind Romelu Lukaku.
Coincidentally, that is exactly the same role Sigurdsson fulfils at the Liberty. But, with Barkley on form, Everton can direct their funds to the more vulnerable parts of the squad.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
