Gylfi Sigurdsson: Everton sign Swansea midfielder for £45m

Everton have completed the club-record signing of midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea City for a fee believed to be about £45m.

The 27-year-old passed a medical at the club earlier on Wednesday.

Sigurdsson's transfer fee eclipses Everton's previous record of £31.8m to Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku in 2014.

"Hopefully I will continue to create goals and score goals for the team and contribute to the kind of success we're seeking at the club," he said.

"This is an ambitious club and it is clear we are moving in a really good direction. The most important thing is that this team keeps winning games and climbing the table - and does that throughout the season."

The Iceland international scored nine goals and made 13 assists last season to help the Swans avoid relegation.

"It took some time but finally we have signed the player," Everton manager Ronald Koeman said.

"In my opinion, in his position he is one of the best in the Premier League. We have the player here and that's really good for the team."

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Swansea set an asking price of £50m for Sigurdsson in July after rejecting an offer worth about £40m from Leicester.

The Welsh club then turned down a similar bid from the Toffees, who had been interested in signing the Iceland playmaker for more than a year.

Spurs will reportedly benefit from a 10% sell-on clause, having sold Sigurdsson to Swansea in the deal which took Wales full-back Ben Davies and goalkeeper Michel Vorm to White Hart Lane.

Sigurdsson in numbers

7 - Since his Premier League debut, Sigurdsson has scored more free-kicks than any other player

8 - Provided more assists last season from dead ball situations than any other player in the Premier League

34 - With 34 goals he is Swansea's top scorer in the Premier League

29 - With 29 assists he is Swansea's most prolific creator of goals in the Premier League

433 - Covered more distance (kilometres) in the Premier League than any other player last season

A long chase

Sigurdsson said in May he was "not trying to leave" the Swans, having signed a new contract last year to become the club's highest paid player.

The Icelandic midfielder missed the Swans' US tour and friendly with Birmingham "due to the current transfer speculation surrounding him".

He scored 30 goals for Swansea since rejoining them in 2014 after a two-year spell at Tottenham.

Everton have enjoyed a productive transfer window, re-signing Wayne Rooney from Manchester United and spending a potential £30m each on centre-back Michael Keane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

They have also signed midfielder Davy Klaassen for £23.6m and striker Sandro Ramirez for £5.2m.

However, striker Lukaku joined Manchester United for £75m and Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has indicated that he expects Ross Barkley to leave the club.

Analysis

Former Everton and Scotland winger Pat Nevin on BBC Radio 5 live

I think he's a brilliant player. I'd put him in the top five or six players in the Premier League last season, his creativity was unbelievable.

He's no youngster but he's fantastic at creating goals. He'd be great if Everton still had Lukaku ahead of him.

For Swansea, it's all about how Clement now spends the money. At the moment, you would worry for them but hold that thought until you see who they now bring in.

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