Everton are prepared to offload Gylfi Sigurdsson this summer as Carlo Ancelotti eyes a summer move for Chelsea academy graduate Fikayo Tomori.
According to The Times, Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is keen on signing Chelsea centre-back Fikayo Tomori in the current transfer window, and is prepared to offload a host of players in order to generate transfer funds.
The 22-year-old came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, but had to bide his time to break into the senior setup at the club. After loan spells at Hull City and Derby County, Tomori got his chance in the first-team in the 2019/20 campaign, but after a positive spell early on, his game time took a hit in the second half of the season.
Tomori finished his debut campaign with 22 appearances, scoring two goals and setting up one more. Following the signing of Thiago Silva on a free transfer from PSG, Tomori’s playing time is likely to take a further hit, casting doubts over his future at the club.
French outfit Rennes were keen on signing the Englishman on loan, and now Everton have entered the fray to land the 22-year-old on a permanent deal. The Toffees, entering their first full season under Ancelotti, have had a positive transfer window so far, with Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez arriving this summer.
However, defence remains an Achilles heel for the Merseyside outfit, with Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate the only three senior centre-backs available at the manager’s disposal. Thus, Ancelotti’s keenness to secure the signing of Tomori from Chelsea makes sense.
But, given that they have spent quite a lot already, Ancelotti will need to offload some players that are not part of his plans, in order to make room for new arrivals. And among those that are on the chopping block is former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The 31-year-old has been with Everton since 2017, having joined from Swansea City. While he was one of the the club’s best players in his first couple of seasons, over the past year or so, the Icelandic international’s form has deteriorated. And with James Rodriguez now taking over the No.10 slot, Ancelotti is keen on selling him this summer.
Apart from the ex-Tottenham star, Everton are also looking to offload Theo Walcott, while the futures of Alex Iwobi, Bernard, Fabian Delph and Cenk Tosun are also up in the air. In addition, Yannick Bolasie, Sandro Ramirez and Muhamed Besic are surplus to requirements and will be sold too.
Tomori, despite his lack of experience at the highest level, showed a lot of promise in his handful of appearances last season. However, with regular game time unlikely to be forthcoming at Chelsea this summer, a switch to Everton may end up working in favour of all parties involved.
