Everton have received a massive boost in their summer pursuit of Manchester City’s veteran centre-back John Stones.
Bernardo Silva might not be the only senior statesman to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. John Stones, whose contract is also running out, could end up leaving Etihad alongside the Portuguese international.
According to a report from talkSPORT, City won’t be offering Stones a new deal, which means he is set to be a free agent after the end of the season. It is a massive boost for Everton, who are considering bringing him back to the club.
Stones made a name for himself while playing for the Toffees before making the move to Manchester in a deal worth £47.5 million. Not only has he gone from strength to strength since, but the 31-year-old has gone on to establish himself as one of the best defenders in the world.
During his time at City, he has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League. While he was an integral part of their first team under Pep Guardiola until last season, the English international has gone down the pecking order following a few injury struggles. He has only started four league games this season.
Stones’ time at City is coming to an end
He even had to withdraw from the England squad over the weekend because of ongoing injury issues. It has put his World Cup spot in jeopardy. Given how things have panned out, City are unlikely to hand him a new deal. With his contract running out in a few months, the 31-year-old is set to be a free agent.
Since he will be available for free, there certainly won’t be any shortage of takers. Everton are one of the clubs that are keen on signing him. David Moyes, who has done wonders for them during his second stint, seeks more quality at the back, and he would love an experienced campaigner like Stones.
The Toffees believe he still has a lot of years left in him and could prove to be a valuable addition to their squad. They are closely monitoring him and could try to lure him back to Merseyside.