Swansea City have been linked with Everton full back Callum Connolly as a makeweight in a potential £50m deal for Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Swans boss Paul Clement has promised a swift resolution to the Sigurdsson saga after the Icelander sat out Swansea’s 2-0 pre-season victory at Birmingham City on Saturday, with the club saying it was due to the “current transfer speculation surrounding him”.
It is thought Premier League rivals Everton have lodged a bid of around £40million for the Icelandic playmaker, with potential add-ons that could take a final package closer to £45m.
But Swansea value Sigurdsson at £50m and are holding out for that fee, with American owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien having said they will not be “bullied” into selling their prize asset.
Now, it has been reported by the Sunday Mirror that Everton are prepared to offer 19-year-old Connolly as they try to convince the Swans their offer is worth £50m.
Whether the Swans would rate Connolly – who has only played one game for Everton and managed just 14 on loan at Wigan last season – in the £5m category remains to be seen.
“It was decided between me and the club, and Gylfi also, that it was the best decision for everybody involved that he wouldn’t take part in games at this point,” Clement said after the Birmingham win.
“It’s not something we want and we will not be allowing to drag on right until the deadline. It is not going to the end of the window, no way.
“This is something we are going to get sorted as soon as possible.
“I have no doubt that he’ll be ready for us if necessary because I’ve seen him working hard day in, day out.
“He’ll be back training with the first team on Monday when we rejoin.”
Sigurdsson withdrew from Swansea’s pre-season tour of the United States earlier this month just hours before the squad departed for America.
He trained with the Under-23 players at the club’s Fairwood base before rejoining Clement’s squad upon their return home last Wednesday.
Although it is understood Sigurdsson wants to join Everton, Clement said the 27-year-old has not asked to leave Swansea.
“No, he hasn’t said that (he wants to go), but he has ambitions and I understand those ambitions,” Clement said. “We rate him very highly and we want him to stay.
“But at the same time, if another club wants him they have to pay what the club feels is the right valuation for the player.
“We’re either going to get the valuation we want which will enable us to reinvest and improve in the team, or he stays and we manage to keep a very good player.”
In Sigurdsson’s absence, Tammy Abraham and Leroy Fer scored second-half goals to give Swansea victory against Sky Bet Championship side Birmingham.