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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Mathew Davies

Ellis Simms set to leave Everton as Coventry City enter 'advanced talks' to sign Swansea City-linked striker

Ellis Simms is set to leave Everton this summer - with our colleagues at the Liverpool Echo reporting the young striker is in "advanced talks" to join Coventry City.

Simms had been linked with Swansea City in the past seven days and was rumoured on social media to have been in the city last weekend.

Several clubs have expressed an interest in the 22-year-old, including former loan club Sunderland and Ipswich Town, but it appears it is the Sky Blues who are now closing in on the attacker.

READ MORE: Leeds United gatecrash chase for Swansea City striker Joel Piroe

The Times reported earlier this week that the Toffees were looking for around £7million to £10million for Simms, but our sister title on Merseyside report a more conservative £6million to £8million would get a deal done.

Mark Robins' side are set to lose star striker Viktor Gyökeres this summer, with Sporting Lisbon set to fork out £20million for the former Swansea loan man.

It means they will have the funds to splash on Simms. At the prices quoted, it always seemed fanciful that Swansea would be in the mix.

Swans boss Michael Duff was quizzed about Simms at his official unveiling last weekend, and he played the straightest of straight bats.

"If we get involved with every player... I was up at a quarter past five this morning from Spain and I do want to go and see my family at some point. Josh (Marsh) is in the building on Monday, so that’s a different conversation because there’s thousands of names," he said.

"So without being rude, it’s pointless me commenting. If it gets to the point where someone is walking in the door for a medical on Monday I'll have the conversation."

Duff did say, though, they would need to bring in a striker this summer, even if star man Joel Piroe ends up staying at the club. The Dutchman was linked with a move to Leeds United yesterday.

“There is already a decent platform to build on, now it is about adding some different detail," he added. "We need to look at the squad and improve around the edges of the pitch. I don’t think that observation is going to blow the mind of any of the supporters.

“Even if Joel Piroe stays, we probably need to add to our strikers. If he does go, then we will definitely need to add some more. There is lots of plate spinning for every different scenario.

“It’s not that we have to play with two up front, we need to be flexible. I’ve watched the games from the end of last season when they went to four at the back and their possession went down by 10%, from 70-60%, but they still won more of their games. That’s just one observation looking in from the outside."

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