Will Gylfi Sigurdsson be the key to Everton finally securing Champions League Football?

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After The Guardian announced yesterday that Everton had finally struck a deal with Swansea City over the transfer of Gylfi Sigurdsson, what exactly can the Goodison Park faithful expect from their new summer signing?

As one of Iceland’s few top class players Sigurdsson commands the respect of his nation. But not only is he the standout player for the Nordic country, he is, or was, also Swansea’s marquee player.

With his play making ability, eye for goal and set-piece ability, it is easy to see why Everton are prepared to fork out £45 million for the midfielder. His displays as recently as last year will give Ronald Koeman great hope that the 27-year old can provide service to new signing Sandro Ramirez and Toffee favourite Wayne Rooney.

The Icelandic international was the Swans’ all-time leading Premier League goal scorer, hitting the back of the net 34 times during his two spells at the Welsh club. Sigurdsson also leads the way in regards to assists for Swansea, notching up an impressive 29 whilst a hallowed son of the Liberty Stadium. These records come in just 124 appearances.

There is no doubt that Sigurdsson has some impressive stats under his belt. He also secured consecutive Player of the Year awards at both Reading and Swansea City. But where he has been a big fish in a small pond in Wales, he has been somewhat underwhelming when spending time with clubs higher up the league standings.

After impressing during his first stint at the Liberty whilst on loan from parent club 1889 Hoffenheim, Sigurdsson was snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 for a fee of just £8 million. The midfielder had managed seven goals in just eighteen appearances whilst in Wales and caught the eye of the then-Tottenham boss, Andre Villas-Boas.

However, in 2014, Sigurdsson found himself being ushered out the door of White Hart Lane and back to the Liberty Stadium. His time was overwhelmingly unsuccessful at Spurs, with former Reading boss Brian McDermott trying to re-sign Sigurdsson in the 2013 January transfer window, as the Telegraph reported.

Ben Davies was used as a makeweight in the Swans deal to sign the Iceland international and was somewhat more successful at White Hart Lane.

Although Sigurdsson clearly has his doubters, there is no doubting the ability that the 27-year old has. Ian Wright recently called him “the best player outside of the top 5”. Appointed Swansea captain by Paul Clement last season, his value to a side is obvious.

Even aside from domestic football, Sigurdsson is helping Iceland conquer new feats, including qualifying for the country’s first European Championships in 2016 and inflicting one of England’s most infamous and embarrassing defeats in their footballing history. Iceland made it to the quarter-finals and look well in with a shout for attending the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

Despite belonging to one of the ‘lesser teams’ in the Premier League, Sigurdsson was a standout performer as he helped Swansea claw their way away from the drop-zone and preserve their top flight status for yet another season. Swans fans would have felt optimistic heading into this season having fended off interest in Fernando Llorente from Chelsea in January, and their main man Sigurdsson signing a new contract at the club as recently as the summer of 2016.

Now on the verge of exiting the club he helped save, Sigurdsson will be hoping his move to one of the Premier League’s ‘top sides’ will not follow the same trajectory as his time at Spurs. A £45m price tag will seem like small change if the Icelandic international can replicate the form that has seen him light up the Liberty over the past few seasons. And with Sigurdsson set to join the Toffees, it could also signal the end of Ross Barkley’s time on Merseyside.

Will Sigurdsson be the final piece in Everton’s puzzle, and help Koeman deliver the riches of Champions League football to the blue side of Merseyside? Only time will tell, but if his form at Swansea is anything to go by, he could be one of the signings of the season.