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Gylfi Sigurdsson is a name that has been linked with Everton many times over the last couple of seasons. Swansea City’s abysmal recent form has led to a surge of new rumours about the player’s future, and as always, Everton have been linked too.
What makes us take it more seriously this time though is the fact that respected football journalist Paul Joyce is the one claiming the interest. He has proven himself to be more reliable than the rest of the gaggle of reporters that claim to be ‘in the know’.
There are some concerns about the player though with his performance this season, as can be evidenced on the spider chart below. However, before we can start proclaiming that the 27-year-old is in decline, you do have to consider that the Swans have been pretty poor this season and a lot of the metrics involve his hitherto ineffective teammates.
Also, he's spent a reasonable amount of time as a winger-type or an out-and-out striker this season, which limits his passing opportunities explaining the shortage of ‘open play key passes’.
Gylffi Sigurdsson, Swansea 16-17. Interesting lack of open play key passes - a lot of his value seems to be set pieces nowadays. pic.twitter.com/nEpRtSazNu
— Ted Knutson (@mixedknuts) April 7, 2017
At Everton though, the onus of being the main creative force wouldn’t be on the Iceland international and he will have more creative licence in the side. The Blues are banking on Ross Barkley and Tom Davies to provide the bulk of chance creation currently.
In the piece from Joyce, he went on to mention the Blues’ interest in Sunderland goalie Jordan Pickford and Burnley defender Michael Keane, with Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk and Hull City’s Harry Maguire also linked. If all those additions do come through, here’s is what the Everton squad could look like next season.
What do you think about this Toffees side? Will this team be deep enough to make a Europa League run as well?