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Everton are ramping up the intensity in their bid to sign Gylfi Sigurdsson by offering a player-plus-cash deal to Swansea City.

According to the Daily Mirror, the Toffees are preparing an offer which will include 19-year-old youngster Callum Connolly as a sweetener in order to get the deal moving in the right direction.

Swansea are in the hunt for a right-back...

But what do we know about the teenager?

The background

Connolly has spent the last two seasons out on loan, at Barnsley and Wigan respectively.

He played only three times in a month's spell at Oakwell before returning to Goodison to make his Premier League debut against Southampton in April 2016.

Over the course of the last campaign he featured regularly for the Latics, turning out 19 times for the Championship outfit despite only joining in January of this year.

Six months under his belt in the second tier will have done him no harm whatsoever.

He also played a key part in Everton's Premier League 2 title win before heading out on loan.

International experience

The youngster was a part of the Goodison contingent who won the Under-20 World Cup with England this summer.

Connolly was an unused substitute in the final against Venezuela as Paul Simpson's charges lifted the trophy in South Korea.

He did, however, feature in games against Australia and Guinea.

Versatility

The defender can play at right-back, centre-back and left-back, areas where Swansea and Paul Clement do need cover. With Angel Rangel not able to play every game and with central defence still an area that needs work, Connolly could be a useful player to have round.

He can even play in midfield.

Clement was tracking John Terry for while and although Connolly is at the opposite end of the career spectrum to the Aston Villa man, a move for the youngster could make sense.

At nearly 6ft and with a decent engine on him, he is a full-back who gets up and the flank with ease.

Pre-season

Connolly featured for Ronald Koeman during the Toffees' recent pre-season tour of the Netherlands and earned favourable reports.

David Unsworth, Everton's Under-23 manager, is a fan of Connolly and he has been turning out for the age-grade side since he was 16.

He wasn't included in the Blues' Europa League game against MFK Ružomberok this week, suggesting he may not be in Koeman's plans this season.

A good fit?

Well, he fits the Swansea mould.

Young, versatile and easily adaptable. A manager always prizes players who can play in multiple positions - especially problem areas - meaning Connolly would fit the Liberty bill.

Swansea have shown considerable interest in Barnsley's Andy Yiadom for months, but Tykes boss Paul Heckingbottom has said the club will do their utmost to keep the 25-year-old .

“We have been clear that no-one is going to get him on the cheap and after being really clear about that, they (clubs) seem to have backed off.

“So maybe that is what they were thinking; they could get real good value. And now they know what they would have to pay, they seem to have quietened down about it.”

Connolly could be a cheaper (and more useful as a makeweight) alternative.