Why Everton must keep hold of Gylfi Sigurdsson in the summer

According to the Athletic (h/t The Express), Gylfi Sigurdsson is one of the big earners in the Everton squad who could be moved on in the summer. Director of football Marcel Brands has been tasked with reducing the Blues’ wage bill this summer.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, 30, joined Everton in a £40million deal from Swansea City in the summer of 2017. However, he has struggled to live up to his price tag at Goodison Park, managing 22 goals in 102 appearances. The report (h/t The Express) adds the Icelandic international still feels he has the ability to make an impact at the club and revive his career under Carlo Ancelotti.

Ancelotti has turned the Everton’s fortunes since replacing Marco Silva permanently in December, instilling a winning mentality amongst his players. Whether or not the Merseyside outfit secures European qualification remains to be seen, but the Italian tactician should start planning for next season.

One area the Everton boss should prioritise reinforcing is the midfield following the shortage of options this term. Summer signing Jean-Philippe Gbamin has spent more than half the season on the sidelines.

Andre Gomes’ horrific ankle injury only worsened the case but he has surprisingly returned earlier than expected. In Gomes’ absence, the likes of Fabian Delph, Morgan Schneiderlin and Tom Davies failed to perform consistently in the middle of the park.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has also struggled this season, managing just a goal and two assists in 24 league outings. Last season, the creative midfielder netted 13 goals and supplied six assists in 38 games. While his contribution has been nowhere close this term, Ancelotti must keep hold of the Icelandic international.

Everton have a plethora of exciting attacking talents, but Sigurdsson is the only natural creative midfielder in the squad. The 30-year-old is an extremely crucial player who can play in different positions across the midfield. The Reykjavík-born star has volumes of Premier League experience, having played over 200 times.

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Since Ancelotti’s arrival at Everton, players such as Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Holgate and a few more have drastically improved. With the Toffees hitting form of late and challenging for a place in Europe, there are also chances of Sigurdsson getting back his mojo under Ancelotti.

Verdict

Experience and squad depth are the two most important aspects every team needs to challenge for trophies. Sigurdsson is a senior, experienced professional whose qualities will almost certainly come into use next season. Thus, Ancelotti must not offload Sigurdsson in the summer.