Everton urged to cash in on £25m Ross Barkley and replace him with Swansea City's Gylfi Sigurdsson

Everton should sell Tottenham Hotspur target Ross Barkley and replace him with Swansea City playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson, according to Sky Sports pundit and one-time Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp.

Barkley's future has been discussed at length in recent months, and Toffees boss Ronald Koeman informed the 23-year-old in a press conference last week that he needs to tell the club of his decision before the end of the season on Sunday (21 May) – or face leaving his boyhood team this summer.

Koeman is poised to strengthen heavily in the window and is eager to know Barkley's desires in order to structure transfer plans. Redknapp, who enjoyed a spell as a Spurs player between 2002 and 2005, says Everton should be ready to cash in on the England international if he sees his future elsewhere and draft in Swansea's Sigurdsson – who also plied his trade at Tottenham for a short while.

"I've been impressed with how Ronald Koeman has handled the situation with Ross Barkley's contract," Redknapp told the Daily Mail. "He has been up front in giving Barkley an ultimatum and if the midfielder does not want to sign, Everton should be ready to cash in.

"Even though Barkley is entering the final year of his contract, Everton should still expect to get £25million for him. Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson would be the perfect replacement. Sigurdsson has great vision, assisting 13 goals for Swansea this season — five more than Barkley and second only to Kevin De Bruyne, who has 15.

"Six of his assists have been for Fernando Llorente, making the pair the Premier League's most lethal duo. Sigurdsson should be playing for a top team."

Barkley may have designs on joining Tottenham this summer, but the Wavertree-born attacker's immediate focus will be on Everton's clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, a match that could prove to be his last for the Merseysiders.