Everton are reportedly prepared to make a move to sign Manchester City defender John Stones, as per Football Insider.
David Moyes currently has Jarrad Branthwaite, Michael Keane, James Tarkowski, and Jake O’Brien as options to deploy in the centre-back positions.
However, Branthwaite has struggled with fitness problems in recent years and has been out since the start of this season. On the other hand, O’Brien has been playing in the right-back position as Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman have struggled with fitness problems, with the Irishman set to turn 38 later this year.
As a result, Tarkowski and Keane have been the first-choice centre-back pairing for the Toffees this season. However, Keane has been suspended in recent games after picking up a red card vs Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Now, Football Insider state that Everton are planning to reinforce the backline and would love to bring Stones back. Moyes is a ‘big fan’ of the Man City star and believes he would represent an upgrade on the options currently at the Scottish boss’s disposal.
With Stones’ current contract set to expire at the end of this season, speculation surrounding his future has started emerging. Man City are ready to hand him a fresh term as he is an experienced player and possesses leadership qualities.
However, considering his recent poor fitness record, the Citizens are hesitant to tie him down to a new contract. For the same reason, Everton are also unsure whether bringing him back on a free transfer next summer would be the right decision.
Stones to Everton
Since moving to the Etihad Stadium from the Toffees back in 2016, the 31-year-old has enjoyed great success over the years, winning six Premier League titles, a Champions League trophy, and several other major cup competitions.
He even secured his place in the England national team before recent injury problems. After commencing only six Premier League matches last term, he has started only four league games thus far this season.
It is going to be interesting to see whether the Merseyside club eventually make a concrete approach to secure the England international’s service in January or next summer.
