Distracted Sigurdsson sits out Swansea friendly

Gylfi Sigurdsson was left off the matchday squad for Saturday's pre-season friendly at Birmingham City after having his head turned by a thwarted £45-million bid from Everton.

Related - Report: Swansea rejects Everton's £45M bid for Sigurdsson

Swansea City released team news for the St Andrew's test, and stated that the Icelandic midfielder "will not feature as it was agreed between the club and player that he would sit this game out due to the current transfer speculation surrounding him."

Sigurdsson, 27, was instrumental in Swansea's survival last season, not only continuing his party-piece of netting stunning free-kicks, but weighing with the most assists (13) he's managed in six terms of Premier League football. With nine goals as well, he was directly involved in 49 percent of Swansea's tallies in the 2016-17 conquest.

Ronald Koeman has already boosted his creative contingent with the summer addition of Davy Klaassen from Ajax, but Sigurdsson appears to be lined up as an automatic replacement for youth-team graduate Ross Barkley, who's requested to leave Everton. Tottenham Hotspur has apparently been quoted £50 million for the Scouse midfielder, which is reportedly the same amount Swansea is requesting for Sigurdsson.

Swansea was back on British turf for the Birmingham trip after a jaunt in the United States. The tour across the pond took in draws with the Philadelphia Union and North Carolina on either side of a 2-1 win at the Richmond Kickers, where the winner came from loanee striker Tammy Abraham.