Manchester City defender John Stones is attracting major interest from across Europe and the United States as he prepares to leave the Etihad this summer, with TEAMtalk understanding Everton now face major competition for the England international.
The 31-year-old is set to bring down the curtain on a hugely successful spell at Man City, where he established himself as one of the Premier League’s elite defenders under Pep Guardiola, whose departure as manager has also been confirmed.
Despite persistent injury frustrations in recent seasons, Stones remains highly regarded across Europe due to his tactical intelligence, versatility and vast experience at the highest level.
As previously revealed, Everton are among the clubs pushing hardest to bring the defender in on a free transfer, with his Man City contract expiring this summer.
The Toffees are extremely keen on the idea of re-signing Stones nearly a decade after his departure from Goodison Park and sources indicate David Moyes sees the England international as someone capable of adding leadership, composure and proven Premier League quality to his squad.
Everton are expected to focus heavily on value opportunities this summer, particularly within the free-agent and loan markets, as they continue reshaping the squad ahead of the move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Stones is viewed internally as a standout market opportunity given his availability and experience level.
TEAMtalk understands Everton also believe experienced additions such as Stones, Matt Targett and Kieran Trippier, as revealed yesterday, could provide Moyes with much-needed depth and reliability without requiring major transfer fees.
The club are additionally exploring another potential loan move for Jack Grealish after his impressive spell on Merseyside earlier this season.
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Everton face Bayern Munich competition for Man City star
Everton are far from alone in the race for Stones, however.
TEAMtalk can reveal Bayern Munich are showing strong interest, with Vincent Kompany understood to be a huge admirer of the defender’s profile.
Kompany believes Stones’ technical quality and experience operating within possession-heavy systems would make him an ideal addition to Bayern’s squad depth.
The Bundesliga giants have become increasingly attentive to opportunities within the English market following the success of players such as Harry Kane and Eric Dier in Germany.
Sources indicate Bayern view Stones as another player capable of adapting quickly to the demands of Bundesliga football.
There is also significant interest emerging from elsewhere across Europe.
Stones generating more interest abroad; MLS move possible
Napoli, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Monaco and ambitious Serie A side Como have all explored the situation and remain attentive to developments surrounding the defender’s future.
TEAMtalk understands clubs in Major League Soccer have also expressed interest as they continue targeting experienced elite-level European players ahead of the next MLS campaign.
Despite entering the latter stages of his career, Stones remains firmly in England’s World Cup plans under Thomas Tuchel.
The defender is expected to travel to North America with the national team this summer and sources close to the player indicate he still believes he can perform consistently at the highest level for several more years.
Stones turns 32 later this month and his next decision is viewed as one of the most important of his career.
For now, multiple clubs across several major leagues are positioning themselves to try and secure his signature with Everton hopeful sentiment and opportunity could yet combine to bring the former fan favourite back to Merseyside.
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