Graeme Souness has hailed Swansea star Gylfi Sigurdsson, but wonders why he didn’t succeed with Tottenham.
Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson celebrates scoring
Pundit Graeme Souness has told The Sunday Times (Sport, page 11) that Gylfi Sigurdsson’s less-than-impressive spell at Tottenham Hotspur is a ‘mystery’.
Sigurdssson played a key role in Swansea City’s latest victory on Sunday, setting up Martin Olsson for the second goal in the 2-0 win at the Liberty Stadium.
The Iceland international, 27, has been Swansea’s shining light in a disappointing season this term, as his record now stands at eight goals and eight assists in the Premier League.
With three goals and three assists in his last six Premier League outings, Sigurdsson is Swansea’s driving force in their bid to avoid relegation.
In truth, Sigurdsson has been Swansea’s main man ever since returning to the club in the summer of 2014, as Tottenham let him leave the club in a deal that saw Michel Vorm and Ben Davies join Spurs.
Sigurdsson had enjoyed a loan spell with Swansea in 2012, hitting seven goals in 19 games before making a move to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
During his two years at White Hart Lane, Sigurdsson scored 13 goals in 83 games but failed to really nail down a regular spot in the Spurs team, and when he did play, he was often shoved out on the left hand side to accommodate Christian Eriksen as an attacking midfielder.
Now playing in his preferred No. 10 position, Sigurdsson has established himself as one of the Premier League’s top playmakers, and his performances for Swansea even caused Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino to admit to The Mirror that he regrets selling Sigurdsson.
Former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness
Pundit Graeme Souness has now told The Sunday Times (Sport, p11) that Sigurdsson’s struggles at Tottenham are a ‘mystery’ as he could comfortably play for a top Premier League side, and believes he can help Swansea achieve Premier League survival this season.
“It’s a bit of a mystery to me why it didn’t happen for Gylfi Sigurdsson at Tottenham,” said Souness. “He could comfortably play for a club in the top half of the Premier League. Swansea are lucky to have him and he seems to be happy there.”
“They have been perhaps guilty of playing too much football at times, too many passes near their own goal. Asking some player who do not have the equipment to play that way is a recipe for conceding goals. Under the new manager, Paul Clement, who I am sure is all the richer for his experience at Derby I would take them to get out of it and stay up,” he added.
Do you think Spurs should move to re-sign Sigurdsson?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
