So it was true that Everton came back with an improved offer for Gylfi Sigurdsson but the Swans continue to play hardball with the turning down of a £45m bid showing their resolve to hold out for the £50m they have quoted.

It is a brave move on behalf of the Swans who could improve their overall squad with that kind of transfer kitty but we do seem determined to hold out for the right deal - or at least what we value the player at - which is a refreshing change from previous years where we have been criticised for letting players go on the cheap.

The sheer fact that Everton are coming back shows how badly that they want the player and we have to assume that the player clearly isn't hammering down the door to leave or we would have taken the deal that was on the table.

We have to remember that whilst holding out for the right deal is right, holding onto a player who wants out to get that deal can be a very expensive gamble that can backfire. Clearly Gylfi is not in that camp, at least not yet, which is good news all round.

The papers have been full of stories in recent days where we are being linked with players to come to the club should Gylfi go and the key remains bringing the situation to a close sooner rather than later as we talked about on here last week.

The new season is now just 18 days away and it is pretty much clear now that any movement will give incoming players little time to settle down which is frustrating.

I do think that we will see an end to this position at some time this week with the Swans now back on home soil following the pre-season tour but I have to commend the club for holding out on this occasion.

Maybe that holding out is due to a changing of the guard or maybe we have a player who is happy to stay and has not yet got wind of a deal that makes him want to leave but either way it is good news and for me takes us to a level that we have not seen before.

That level of course does not matter unless it transpires into results on the field but I do know that in previous years Gylfi would now be an Everton player.

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