Sky reporter: Everton hours from completing new signing, fee is £9m
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Sky reporter: Everton hours from completing new signing, fee is £9m

Wayne Veysey
Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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By Alex Stevens

Everton will pay £9million to sign Ashley Williams from Swansea, according to a reliable journalist.

Widespread reports, including from the Sun, have claimed in the last 24 hours that the Merseysiders had agreed a fee of £12million with Swansea for the 31-year-old defender.

But Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solkehol claimed on Wednesday morning that the fee Everton will pay their Premier League rivals is actually £3million less at £9million.

Solkehol also reported on his personal Twitter account that the Williams signing should be completed by the Merseysiders on Wednesday.

Ronald Koeman's recruitment overhaul has gone into overdrive in the last 24 hours as the Goodison boss also works on deals to land centre-back Lamine Kone from Sunderland, winger Yannick Bolasie from Crystal Palace and striker Wilfried Bony from Manchester City.

Wales skipper Williams was pictured arriving with his agent at Everton on Tuesday afternoon to put the finishing touches to the deal after making his farewells at training at Swansea on Tuesday morning.

Williams is set to sign on a two-year deal and will be new Everton boss Ronald Koeman’s third senior summer arrival after the captures of Idrissa Gueye and Martin Stekelenburg.

The Wales skipper is now widely regarded as one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League, starting all but two of Swansea’s 38 league matches last season.

He had been heading into his tenth season as a Swansea player, after signing for the Swans in the 2007-08 season.

Williams will be a direct replacement for John Stones, who completed a £47.5million transfer to Manchester City on Tuesday morning that demolished Everton's transfer record.

Swansea are attempting to soften this blow on fans by securing the signature of Borja Baston from Atletico Madrid, who is understood to have agreed a £15m move to the Liberty stadium and will be flying in for a medical on Tuesday night, according to the Sky Sports website.

In other Everton transfer news, this young defender may follow Stones out of the exit door amid strong Newcastle interest.

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