There’s no doubt that Everton have been one of the major players in this summers transfer market activity, with deals totalling in excess of £160 million going into and coming out of Goodison Park.
By the time the English Premier League season kicks off in early August, that number is highly likely to exceed £200 million, with boss Ronald Koeman looking to bring striker Olivier Giroud in from Arsenal and midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea City.
Sigurdsson will not be an easy capture. Swansea are sticking firm to their valuation of £50 million, with their American owners clearly stating he will not be sold for a penny less “no matter whether they believe they have an agreement with the player or not”. Everton have tabled £40 million so far but fuelled with the funds from their sale of Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, they are expected to pay want Swansea want to get their man.
Giroud may be a slightly easier and more straight forward purchase from Arsenal. West Ham have withdrawn their interest in the French forward after he made it very clear that the Hammers were not his ideal destination, which clearly indicates Everton were. With Lukaku gone, Giroud will like being the focus of the Toffees attack, with Wayne Rooney in a deeper role. Any competition may come from his country of birth, with Marseille and Lyon both on the periphery. But Giroud is settled in England and is expected to make the move to Merseyside.
Its not all incoming for Everton though. Focus still surrounds midfield star and local boy Ross Barkley and it remains unclear whether he will see the start of the season in an Everton shirt. Barkley has not made the trip to Tanzania with his teammates and although boss Ronald Koeman insists this is due to injury, speculation is rife that he is securing a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The loss of Barkley would be tempered with the arrival of Sigurdsson, but Koeman would prefer to have them both at his disposal at what promises to be an exciting season at Goodison Park.
EVERTON FC – MAJOR TRANSFER MARKET ACTIVITY SUMMER 2017
INCOMING
Jordan Pickford (GK) from Sunderland – £24.2m
Michael Keane (DF) from Burnley – £24.2m
Davy Klassen (MF) from Ajax – £22.9m
Henry Onyekuru (LW) from KAS Eupen – £6.9m (then loaned to Anderlecht)
Sandro Ramirez (ST) from Malaga – £5.1m
Wayne Rooney (ST) from Manchester United – free
OUTGOING
Romelu Lukaku (ST) to Manchester United – £72m
Gerard Deulofeu (RW) to Barcelona – £10.2m
Tom Cleverley (CM) to Watford – £7.9m