Stones not set to stick with Everton

Ronald Koeman has gone on record and said that if John Stones is to leave Goodison Park this Summer then he won’t be leaving for any less than £50m. That price will scare off many potential suitors and is £10m more than Jose Mourinho bid when in charge of Chelsea last Summer.

With United seemingly fully stocked in the centre back department he won’t be making a move to Old Trafford but that doesn’t rule out a move to Manchester altogether as Pep Guardiola is in the market for defensive reinforcements, and he certainly won’t be put off by the large price tag that is being demanded.

Especially now that he has tabled the £50m bid that is believed to be required for his Goodison departure, it hasn’t been accepted yet but City’s initial offer looks like it is turning the wheels in motion for what would be the British transfer record for a Defender.

With City only finishing 4th last season and Guardiiola coming in the squad was always going to be in need of some sort of overhaul and it’s at centre back in which the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has identified as an area which needs improving.

With the on off injuries that Vincent Kompany had last season they were almost a different team when he didn’t play and the replacements that came in were certainly not up to scratch with Argentine’s Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis not looking like the most confident of deputies.

That means that Guardiola is looking for new blood and that means a player that not only can slot straight into his team but fits the mould of a what you would call a Guardiola player. Someone comfortable in possession and in terms of a defender willing and able to play out from the back.

That style of football though last season meant that Stones did come in for criticism from an element of the Goodison fanbase and performances did suffer off the back of it, perhaps a move away could rejuvenate him and then both City and England can reap the rewards.

Is he worth £50m, I guess at first glance you would say probably not but I think we need to start being conditioned to the fact that there has been a huge step change in transfer fees now and so for someone who is this young but with both Premier League and international experience Everton are probably right in demanding this fee.

It scared off most suitors but there was always going to be one club with deep enough pockets and it looks like that club is Manchester City.