Everton willing to accept ‘enormous loss’ by selling Ancelotti favourite this summer

Everton are willing to accept an ‘enormous loss’ by selling midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson in this summer’s transfer market, a report claims.

Sigurdsson has proved a key player for the Toffees since his arrival from Swansea in the summer of 2017.

Signed in the final months of Ronald Koeman’s reign, he has gone on to make 144 appearances.

This season, meanwhile, he has only missed one Premier League game, captaining his side on eight occasions.

However, according to Football Insider, club chiefs have plans to sell ‘at least one key player’ this summer in order for the reshape of Carlo Ancelotti‘s team to take its next step.

Indeed, Iceland international Sigurdsson could be that player, with Toffees bosses willing to see him go.

The Merseyside club will reportedly listen to offers, aware that Sigurdsson would leave for a ‘fraction’ of the £45million they paid to bring him from South Wales.

What’s more, they will do despite Ancelotti having strong admiration for the 31-year-old.

The move boils down to Sigurdsson’s contractual situation; the player will have one year left on his deal at the end of the season and Everton seemingly do not want to offer a bumper new contract to a player who turns 32 in September.

Their reluctance comes from his wages, which amount to a figure well above £100,000 per week.

Everton stance over Sigurdsson could be mirrored

But Sigurdsson’s salary could end up posing as the ‘major hurdle’ in Everton’s efforts to offload him.

Everton’s stance over his wages will likely be mirrored by interested clubs, who will subsequently think twice about signing him.

In any case, the Blues are unwilling to lose him on a free next summer. As such, they would not turn down a cut-price exit.

Sigurdsson may not be a nailed-on starter for Ancelotti, but he has only missed three Premier League games since the Italian’s appointment.

READ MORE: Ancelotti makes two ‘requests’ to help keep ‘unhappy’ star at Everton