Everton are reportedly set to offer Gylfi Sigurdsson a new contract to extend his stay at Goodison Park, according to the Daily Mail.
The former Swansea and Tottenham playmaker, who joined for an eye-watering £40m in 2017, looked to be increasingly out of favour on Merseyside.
After some impressive early displays from summer signing James Rodriguez, competition looked too fierce at one point for Sigurdsson to overcome, but the Icelandic veteran has played his way back into Carlo Ancelotti’s plans.
Deputising for the Colombian during a spell out with injury, the 31-year-old has stepped up to his playmaking mantle and has been instrumental in recent victories. Hailed by ex-England defender Danny Mills as ‘absolutely huge’ due to his superb ball control and playmaking abilities, Sigurdsson scored match-winning goals against Sheffield United and Chelsea in recent weeks.
He appears to be loving life under Ancelotti, having praised the Italian previously in comments featured in the Liverpool Echo, saying: “Man-to-man, he’s fantastic, dealing with different kinds of situations. He is very calm, probably because he has seen it all before and knows exactly what to do. He’s just a great person to be around.”
The Iceland playmaker has scored 26 goals and provided 19 assists in 131 games for the Toffees (Transfermarkt).
Read Everton Verdict
At 31 years of age, some may superficially question the importance of extending the stay of an ageing player who has had his critics. However, Everton lack any out-and-out creative midfielders beyond Sigurdsson and Rodriguez.
In terms of offensively-minded options, extending the Icelander’s stay would be a lot cheaper than buying in extra playmakers. In that sense, a new deal may be a Marcel Brands masterclass, so long as wage and fee demands are not exorbitant.
