Leon Britton believes Gylfi Sigurdsson will leave Swansea City to join Everton this summer, he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
The Swans captain discussed the future of the Icelandic international on air and anticipates the 28-year-old to leave SA1 in the final few weeks of the window.
Speculation about Sigurdsson’s future has been ubiquitous all summer, with Swansea already rejecting two bids from Everton. Swansea remain in control and are standing firm on their £50 million valuation of their talisman – who still has three years left on his contract.
Everton close to meeting valuation
Britton has admitted that the size and reputation of Everton might be too hard for Sigurdsson to turn down.
"He's a big influence in the top end of the pitch for us, but unfortunately the club we're at, Swansea, when the bigger teams come calling it is hard to keep him," Britton admitted.
Britton, along with Sigurdsson, helped spark Swansea’s revival last term as they picked up 13 points from their last five games to ensure their Premier League survival.
Britton expects Everton to meet Swansea’s asking price sooner or later.
He added: "The club have stood firm. By all accounts they've said they want £50 million. I don't know if it's going to get done. I think Everton have maybe offered £40-45 million so I think there'll be some movement now and Gylfi will go."
Britton did admit he is still hoping Swansea keep hold of their star-man. The 34 year-old said he "lives in hope he will stay" though appeared to acknowledge the likelihood of the playmaker leaving.
Sigurdsson - who has scored 37 goals in over 128 games for the Swans - did train alongside Britton on Wednesday as Swansea released their new third kit today, one which they will wear on the opening day of the season against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.
Tabanou finds club
Elsewhere, Franck Tabanou has found himself a new club, after having his contract mutually terminated by Swansea earlier this summer.
The left-back was part of the mass exodus that has seen Borja Baston, Jordi Amat, Bafetimbi Gomis and Marvin Emnes all leave Swansea this summer.
Tabanou, who was deemed surplus to requirements for some time, returns to France to join Guingamp in Ligue 1, as he hopes to revive his career.
The 28-year-old was signed for a fee of £3.5 million from St Etienne by Garry Monk as cover for Neil Taylor, in 2015. Tabanou, however, failed to find his feet in South Wales - as he failed to make a single league appearance under five different managers.
The only first-team action Tabanou received was in three cup ties, with the last being an awful showing against Oxford United in the FA Cup. Tabanou’s work ethic and fitness were questioned by both Monk and then later Alan Curtis, before the former France under-21 international subsequently found himself out on loan.
Tabanou returned to St Etienne on loan in January last year, however couldn’t find himself a permanent deal with the French side. The defender then joined Granada last season in another unsuccessful loan spell, where he was once again unable to establish himself in the first-team.
Despite Welsh international Taylor leaving the club last January, there was still no place in the team for Tabanou heading into this season.
He found himself behind Martin Olsson and Stephen Kingsley in the pecking order and having not been factored into Paul Clement’s plans, both parties decided it would be for the best to mutually terminate his contract at Swansea.