John Stones will officially leave Manchester City this summer and Everton have been strongly linked with a move for the defender.
The England international will be set for pastures new after a decade at the club, and interest is already mounting in the 31-year-old.
Everton are in the picture to sign Stones, which would see the star return to Merseyside after departing for £50 million back in 2016.
Would a return for John Stones on a free make any sense for Everton? 🧐
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John Stones lifts the Premier League trophy for Manchester City.
Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield
Opinions on a potential return for Stones have been fairly mixed, with several expressing their concern about his injury record.
He would also likely demand a very high salary.
But it looks as though Everton may not move for Stones after all given a new claim today.
John Stones to Everton played down
John Stones playing for Manchester City.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Journalist Alex Crook has poured cold water on Everton re-signing Stones this summer, suggested the club would need to ship out of their current options first.
He said in a video on the talkSPORT YouTube channel: “As for what happens next for John Stones, I know there has been a little bit of talk of potentially returning to his old club, Everton.
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“But they’re pretty well stocked in the centre-back department at the moment. So unless anybody leaves, I think that probably would be unlikely at this moment in time.”
Michael Keane was probably the most likely defender to leave.
But he recently signed a new contract at the club and will now not be going anywhere this summer.
There have been no reports suggesting any of Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski or Jake O’Brien will depart.
Tarkowski is not getting any younger at 33. But he remains a trusted player for David Moyes and will become club captain if Seamus Coleman doesn’t extend his contract, as is expected.
Everton shouldn’t risk a move for Stones
With Branthwaite struggling to stay fit, Everton ought not to be targeting a player who has similar issues.
There is no denying Stones’ quality as a player.
John Stones gives a double thumbs up.
Photo by Pedro Porru/MB Media/Getty Images
But for a player coming in on high wages, you need them to be available for the bulk of the games. And sadly Stones’ record suggests he just wouldn’t be – he has never played over 30 Premier League games in a single season for City.
He is perhaps also the wrong age profile for Everton, who could do with someone in their mid to late twenties with Tarkowski and Keane ageing.
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