Farhad Moshiri must sanction a new contract for Everton midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson as a reward for the Iceland international’s recent turn of form under Carlo Ancelotti.
What’s the word?
According to the Daily Mail, the Toffees are considering presenting Sigurdsson with a new contract after his outstanding efforts in James Rodriguez’s absence over the festive period.
Sigurdsson had been expected to leave Goodison Park following Rodriguez’s arrival and his own initial run of poor form, but he has played his way back into Ancelotti’s plans and impressed when on the field.
Rodriguez offered three goals and three assists in his first five Premier League appearances but has played just 26 minutes in the Toffees’ last five top-flight fixtures after sustaining a calf injury.
Sigurdsson came in and starred, despite seeing his long-term future thrown into doubt with claims Ancelotti would look to move the 31-year-old on to free space to sign a new central figure with Harry Winks, Dele Alli and Sami Khedira all linked.
The 78-cap midfielder struck the sole goals in Everton’s 1-0 wins over Chelsea and Sheffield United while captaining the side, and he provided the assist for Yerry Mina’s match-winner against Arsenal with a pin-point delivery from a corner.
Offer the contract
Everton would rue not offering Sigurdsson an extension to his current £100,000-per-week contract amidst his strong run of form, as doubts over his long-term future would otherwise rise significantly the closer he gets to its final 12-months.
Sigurdsson, who is set to be a free agent in 2022, is playing some of the best football he has produced for Everton since Marco Silva’s maiden season at the helm, when the £16m-rated talent provided 13 goals and six assists over 38 Premier League appearances.
He struggled vastly in Silva’s second season and rarely stood out in Ancelotti’s plans after the change in head coach, with Sigurdsson offering just two goals and three assists in 2019/20 to put himself in a position where Rodriguez’s arrival threatened his future at the club.
Former Sheffield United midfielder Michael Brown believed Sigurdsson’s recent display against Chris Wilder’s side displayed just how far he has now come since Ancelotti’s hiring, waxing lyrical over how the Blues’ former £45m record signing has got his confidence back.
“He took his touch and made a reverse pass into the corner, it was brilliant,” Brown told Football Insider. “He’s got the confidence, Ancelotti’s come in and continued that, but they’ve improved the squad massively.
“With better players around him, getting better results, he’s always going to look better straight away. He’s got a real spray of pass, he’s got a good role. Now, the middle of the park looks so much stronger.”
AND in other news: Marcel Brands must axe a total dud costing Everton £600k-a-game.