- Status
mkrudden
Player Valuation: £40m
It is almost a month since Gylfi Sigurdsson's America U-turn appeared to put him close to a £50m move to Everton.
As countdown to the start of the new season turns from weeks into days, he appears no further to holding up a blue shirt from that decision to opt out of Swansea City's pre-season tour.
And with the clubs struggling to come to an agreement, the question is now whether the player is prepared to force through a move?
Since appearing for 45 minutes at Barnet just hours before – if with actions more than words – indicating he wanted to quit the Liberty for Goodison, he has missed all five subsequent friendlies.
And as Swansea kick-off the new Premier League season at Southampton, there appears to be little to no chance of last term's player of the year figuring in the campaign opener.
Gylfi Sigurdsson at the training session(Image: South Wales Evening Post)
It is a situation Saturday's hosts will have familiarity with. The Saints have had their own summer saga with suitors from Merseyside and, amid continued talk of a £60m move for defender Virgil van Dijk, it looks unlikely that he will line up at St Mary's Stadium for the visit of Paul Clement's side.
The similarities go on. Whereas Swansea warned Everton over tapping up as Ronald Koeman's interest was made clear in the media, Southampton went one stage further and complained to the Premier League to investigate an illegal approach for the Dutchman.
Unlike Everton and Sigurdsson, no official bid has been made by Liverpool for van Dijk.
And, unlike Sigurdsson, van Dijk has taken matters into his own hands by handing in a transfer request, something he made known in a lengthy public statement.
It's a stance Swansea's wanted man is yet to take – and it's thought highly unlikely that will change.
Swansea City legend Alan Tate pledges to help bring through the next generation of Welsh talent with fantastic gesture
That is not to say Sigurdsson doesn't want to go. Various sources have indicated that, at the very least, Sigurdsson would be interested in moving to Everton. His absence in America was a marker of that, as it has been in the warm-up games since; you would assume if that was not the case then Paul Clement would have looked to have him involved. Sigurdsson's silence means there's been no chance for him to give any other side of the story.
Still, it has left many supporters wondering why he then hasn't made his feelings formal and follow van Dijk's lead if he really wants to go.
But van Dijk's move is an increasingly unusual one in the modern day. Where as transfer requests were once a staple of Ceefax headlines and Championship Manager simulations, they've become a far rarer aspect of modern deals.
One reason for that is financial. A common practice is for clubs to insert loyalty bonuses into contracts, something they would have to give up if formally requesting a transfer before it expires.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Paul Clement and Ronald Koeman
Even without such a clause there can be other financial disincentives for the want-away player, such as losing part of their signing-on fees. Despite their name, such fees tend to be paid over the length of a contract in annual instalments and a transfer request gives clubs the chance to avoid paying significant remaining figures when the deal goes through.
However, this tends to be more of a factor away from the cash-rich Premier League, such as when Swansea held up the £1m sale of cult hero Lee Trundle to Bristol City in 2007 until he formally faxed in a transfer request.
Buying clubs can build those fees into the new deals being offered to the target or a player may be willing to sacrifice sums knowing the move will compensate him.
Swansea City targeting Arsenal outcast Carl Jenkinson — reports
And, instead, the greater factor in why transfer requests are so rare is the position it puts a player in. One agent told WalesOnline that it would wait until all other options were explored before taking the step of demanding a transfer in public.
Another from one of the game's leading agencies said that the company would never advise a client to make a transfer request.
They are seen as desperate last acts to force through a deal, something that may be more common in overseas leagues.
But it leaves the player exposed once he makes officially clear his wish to go, because there's no wriggle room if a deal doesn't happen.
If the transfer doesn't happen after a request, the fact they are under a contract means a club could park them – and now have the money to do that. Players could be left in limbo, their brand damaged sponsors turned off, form and profile lost all because of a risky step of a request.
Agitating for a move behind the scenes allows a player to dismiss stories about leaving as pure speculation.
Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson(Image: Getty Images)
Transfer requests could also see the buying club lower their value of the player, knowing that he wants to leave, but then resulting in more awkward negotiations and potentially dragging out discussions longer.
Transfer requests can be the ultimate display of player power, but there have been signs that such a notion may be slipping from its peak.
While van Dijk waits and Sigurdsson stays uncertain, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is still at the Emirates despite making it clear he wants to play at a Champions League club. Ross Barkley could be frozen out with no takers despite not signing a new deal at Everton, while Riyad Mahrez has not got his wish about leaving Leicester.
The increase in Premier League money and the escalation of transfer fees has perhaps given clubs a greater ability to hold out and not bend to transfer tactics.
Who eventually wins is up for debate, with Swansea and Sigurdsson still waiting for the next move in their summer saga with Everton.
But it would be a surprise if the result is forced by Sigurdsson following van Dijk's lead with a transfer request
FROM WALESONLINE
As countdown to the start of the new season turns from weeks into days, he appears no further to holding up a blue shirt from that decision to opt out of Swansea City's pre-season tour.
And with the clubs struggling to come to an agreement, the question is now whether the player is prepared to force through a move?
Since appearing for 45 minutes at Barnet just hours before – if with actions more than words – indicating he wanted to quit the Liberty for Goodison, he has missed all five subsequent friendlies.
And as Swansea kick-off the new Premier League season at Southampton, there appears to be little to no chance of last term's player of the year figuring in the campaign opener.
Gylfi Sigurdsson at the training session(Image: South Wales Evening Post)
It is a situation Saturday's hosts will have familiarity with. The Saints have had their own summer saga with suitors from Merseyside and, amid continued talk of a £60m move for defender Virgil van Dijk, it looks unlikely that he will line up at St Mary's Stadium for the visit of Paul Clement's side.
The similarities go on. Whereas Swansea warned Everton over tapping up as Ronald Koeman's interest was made clear in the media, Southampton went one stage further and complained to the Premier League to investigate an illegal approach for the Dutchman.
Unlike Everton and Sigurdsson, no official bid has been made by Liverpool for van Dijk.
And, unlike Sigurdsson, van Dijk has taken matters into his own hands by handing in a transfer request, something he made known in a lengthy public statement.
It's a stance Swansea's wanted man is yet to take – and it's thought highly unlikely that will change.
Swansea City legend Alan Tate pledges to help bring through the next generation of Welsh talent with fantastic gesture
That is not to say Sigurdsson doesn't want to go. Various sources have indicated that, at the very least, Sigurdsson would be interested in moving to Everton. His absence in America was a marker of that, as it has been in the warm-up games since; you would assume if that was not the case then Paul Clement would have looked to have him involved. Sigurdsson's silence means there's been no chance for him to give any other side of the story.
Still, it has left many supporters wondering why he then hasn't made his feelings formal and follow van Dijk's lead if he really wants to go.
But van Dijk's move is an increasingly unusual one in the modern day. Where as transfer requests were once a staple of Ceefax headlines and Championship Manager simulations, they've become a far rarer aspect of modern deals.
One reason for that is financial. A common practice is for clubs to insert loyalty bonuses into contracts, something they would have to give up if formally requesting a transfer before it expires.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Paul Clement and Ronald Koeman
Even without such a clause there can be other financial disincentives for the want-away player, such as losing part of their signing-on fees. Despite their name, such fees tend to be paid over the length of a contract in annual instalments and a transfer request gives clubs the chance to avoid paying significant remaining figures when the deal goes through.
However, this tends to be more of a factor away from the cash-rich Premier League, such as when Swansea held up the £1m sale of cult hero Lee Trundle to Bristol City in 2007 until he formally faxed in a transfer request.
Buying clubs can build those fees into the new deals being offered to the target or a player may be willing to sacrifice sums knowing the move will compensate him.
Swansea City targeting Arsenal outcast Carl Jenkinson — reports
And, instead, the greater factor in why transfer requests are so rare is the position it puts a player in. One agent told WalesOnline that it would wait until all other options were explored before taking the step of demanding a transfer in public.
Another from one of the game's leading agencies said that the company would never advise a client to make a transfer request.
They are seen as desperate last acts to force through a deal, something that may be more common in overseas leagues.
But it leaves the player exposed once he makes officially clear his wish to go, because there's no wriggle room if a deal doesn't happen.
If the transfer doesn't happen after a request, the fact they are under a contract means a club could park them – and now have the money to do that. Players could be left in limbo, their brand damaged sponsors turned off, form and profile lost all because of a risky step of a request.
Agitating for a move behind the scenes allows a player to dismiss stories about leaving as pure speculation.
Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson(Image: Getty Images)
Transfer requests could also see the buying club lower their value of the player, knowing that he wants to leave, but then resulting in more awkward negotiations and potentially dragging out discussions longer.
Transfer requests can be the ultimate display of player power, but there have been signs that such a notion may be slipping from its peak.
While van Dijk waits and Sigurdsson stays uncertain, Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is still at the Emirates despite making it clear he wants to play at a Champions League club. Ross Barkley could be frozen out with no takers despite not signing a new deal at Everton, while Riyad Mahrez has not got his wish about leaving Leicester.
The increase in Premier League money and the escalation of transfer fees has perhaps given clubs a greater ability to hold out and not bend to transfer tactics.
Who eventually wins is up for debate, with Swansea and Sigurdsson still waiting for the next move in their summer saga with Everton.
But it would be a surprise if the result is forced by Sigurdsson following van Dijk's lead with a transfer request
FROM WALESONLINE
BigBlueConk
Player Valuation: £70m
If he really wants to come to Everton, he should just go all Joleon Lescott on them.
Rudolf Hucker
Player Valuation: £30m
So we've missed the deadline for him to be registered to play in the Europa league?
Slippin Jimmy
Player Valuation: £5m
Yet we pay 30 mil for Bolasie like money is no object but we haggle over an extra 15 mil for a midfielder who's stats are one of the best in the prem, unbelievable
hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
Yes unfortunately.
evertondotcom
Player Valuation: £15m
In the play off, not the groups.
evertonarntwe
Player Valuation: £35m
to be fair, we paid so much over the odds for bolasie aswell
hktoffee
Birds of a feather flock together
Yes he can't play on 17th and 24th. Need to register before 1st Sept to play in the group stage.
everton2004
Player Valuation: £35m
I love how Bolasie is always wheeled out to make a point like this, despite the fact he was by far our best winger until the injury.
peteblue
Welcome back Wayne
We offered £40M and have been reducing it by £1M per day until they accept £10M spread over 5 years.......
Team played better and the results improved when he was'nt in the team.
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