Why Swansea Talisman Gylfi Sigurdsson Is Absolutely Worth £50m in Today's Market
The current transfer window has been the craziest in recent memory. Fees upwards of £30m have now become common place. Gone are the days where £25m was considered an exorbitant amount. Even Kyle Walker commanded £50m.
Football fans far and wide have become angered by the figures being thrown about, especially by some of the major Premier League clubs. One of the most common targets of this criticism has been Swansea City's £50m valuation of star midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Yet in targeting The Swans' valuation of their star player, their incredulity is misplaced.
Whilst it is true that the Icelandic midfielder's true value likely may lie closer to somewhere in the region of £25-30m, there are more factors at play here.
For in the case of Sigurdsson - as well as fellow Swan, Fernando Llorente - the onus is not on Swansea to sell. Rather, it is on the buying club to convince the Welsh side to sell their best players when they are not in dire need of the cash.
Sigurdsson played a vital role in Swansea narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season, scoring nine goals to go with 13 assists. He was the centrepiece of their attack, representing a multi-faceted danger.
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From outside the box, set pieces, and with daring runs, Sigurdsson is always a threat, bolstered by a high-effort presence which sees him pressure opposing goalkeepers and defenders. His crosses in particular are ever-present - the 27-year old ranked first in the entire Premier League last season for total crosses, with a number of 304.
Should Sigurdsson depart the club, even for a substantial £50m fee, it is difficult to see Swansea replacing him with an equal-level talent. Few players on The Swans'radar represent the high-quality, multi-dimensional threat posed by the midfielder. Given that a potentially difficult campaign may lie ahead for Paul Clement's men, they will need the strongest squad possible.
That is not to speak of the financial issues involved. The long-term costs of relegation will likely exceed the £50m transfer fee, and it is notoriously difficult to come back from the Championship once a team has gone down.
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The option to keep hold of the midfielder should always be on the table - and selling him only considered an option for an offer too good to turn down.
His value to Swansea is much higher than it is to any other team. Without him, there is a lack of creative force coming out of the midfield, and his importance to the entire Swansea offence cannot be understated.
