Newcastle look to pip Swansea to Sigurdsson

Newcastle are looking to sign Gylfi Sigurdsson from Hoffenheim from right under the nose of Swansea, if reports in the press are to be believed.

The Daily Mail (I knaa!) is running with a story suggesting that Alan Pardew was impressed with the Iceland international in our recent victory over the Swans and has made a number of enquiries regarding the availability of the 22-year-old.

However Sigurdsson's stock has been rising ever since he joined Swansea on loan in January and the former Reading midfielder has scored 7 goals in 14 appearances for Brendan Rodgers' side, which hasn't gone unnoticed by his manager at Hoffenheim, Markus Babbel, who now doesn't want to lose Sigurdsson in the summer.

Personally I've always rated Sigurdsson and wanted us to sign him when we were in the Championship. That season he scored 21 goals in 44 appearances but it was Hoffenheim who took the gamble and signed him up for a fee in the region of £7m.

He started off well in Germany and won the Hoffenheim Player of the Season award in his debut season, scoring 10 goals in 31 appearances. However he has slipped down the pecking order and found himself out of favour under Markus Babbel who loaned him out to Swansea.

Apparently it will take a fee in the region of £8m for Hoffenheim to do business after his stunning second half of the season with Swansea, which I'm personally unsure about. The lad has scored goals at different levels throughout his young career, but I don't know whether £8m would represent the "value for money" that the club look for in any deal. Right age, right pedigree, but is there enough resale value?

Plus I'm not sure whether Gylfi would want to move anywhere other than Swansea. He is understood to love it at the Liberty Stadium and has built up a good working relationship with his boss which could influence his decision. Not only that, but there is the fact that he would be guaranteed a starting role at Swansea which I don't think he would get at St James' Park.

Above is a video compilation of his time at Hoffenheim to give those who don't know an awful lot about him some more scope to make a judgement. Yes it's not current, but it does show his strong suits, which are shooting from distance and getting forward in support of the strikers.

Would you take a punt for £8m?