Everton told to increase their £30m bid if they want to land Swansea ace Gylfi Sigurdsson
Ronald Koeman will need to smash the £100m barrier if they want to sign the Iceland international
EVERTON have been told to increase their offer for Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson after a £30million bid failed.
And while the Toffees chase the Icelandic playmaker, Ross Barkley is ready to quit the club to save his England career.
Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has spent £58.4m on Jordan Pickford, Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez — and may need to smash the £100m barrier to land his No 1 target Sigurdsson, 27.
Swans chairman Huw Jenkins insisted last week his star player would only depart if the Welsh club received an offer they could not refuse.
He said: “It’s hard to suggest what sort of value Gylfi has in today’s market but to us he is priceless and we’ve got to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure he stays.”
Barkley has fallen behind 24-year-old Klaassen in Everton’s pecking order and will not be their main creative force in midfield next season.
The 23-year-old Scouser wants regular football to ensure he is in England boss Gareth Southgate’s plans for the World Cup in 12 months’ time.
Injury ruled Barkley out of the Three Lions’ end-of-season matches against Scotland and France.
Gylfi Sigurdsson factfile
- Born in Reykjavik, Iceland in September 1989
- Signed for Reading on a scholarship in 2005 before earning professional contract two years later
- Had loan spells at Shrewsbury and Crewe
- Joined Hoffenheim in 2010 before spending time on loan at Swansea two years later
- Earned a £8.8m move to Tottenham under Andre Villas-Boas
- Moved back to Swansea in 2014
- Won Swansea's Player of the Season for the last two years
- Six-time Icelandic Footballer of the Year
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His place in the squad was on a knife-edge before he was crocked after dips in form and a public row with Koeman over his contract.
He went to Euro 2016 in France but did not play a single minute during the disastrous campaign under then boss Roy Hodgson.
And his last appearance for the country was in April last year, when he came off the bench in the friendly win over Australia.
Barkley has one year left on his deal and Koeman told him to sign new terms — or be sold.
Dutch legend Koeman, 54, is considering a move for West Brom centre-back Jonny Evans.
The Northern Ireland international, 29, is ready to quit Albion after seeing Darren Fletcher join Stoke.
Leicester have already had a bid knocked back for the former Manchester United defender.