Everton yesterday completed the sale of John Stones to Manchester City and after sealing a deal for Williams the Blues will now press ahead with a move for Sunderland’s Lamine Kone.
Advertisement
Ferdinand claims Everton have made a “major signing”, snapping up a great leader with real experience, and arguably the most consistent defender in the Premier League since Swansea’s promotion in 2011.
They had a £10m bid rejected last week as the Swans tried to convince their skipper to stay in south Wales.
Swansea City have already begun targeting potential new centre-backs as they look to begin life without Ashley Williams following his £12m move to Everton.
Williams, who spent eight years at Swansea and played an integral role in their rise to the Premier League, joins the Toffees on a three-year deal.
“I believe the club is going in the right direction”, said Williams.
The defender added: “I look forward to seeing what the manager’s plans are for me and the team”.
Williams made nearly 350 appearances for the South Wales side following a £400,000 move from Stockport with the club in League One.
Williams was key in Wales’s run to the last four at Euro 2016 and had been a mainstay in the Swans’s defence since he joined from Stockport in 2008.
And, in a statement wishing Williams well, he said: “We are disappointed to lose Ashley. It is definitely not something we wanted to happen”, Huw told the club’s official website.
Advertisement
The 31-year-old defender is new manager Ronald Koeman’s third summer purchase after Senegal midfielder Idrissa Gueye and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
