John Stones Exit Talks Grow as Everton Weigh Return — Where Is John Stones Going
Everton have held talks with John Stones about a return to Merseyside this summer, and the answer to where is john stones going is not settled yet. The Manchester City defender has already said he will leave as a free agent at the end of the season.
Keith Wyness said the move is still live but far from done. “It’s not necessarily nailed on, it’s an option and there’s been discussions, but certainly nothing finalised yet,” he said, adding that the situation is “still 50-50.”
Stones and Everton
Stones, 31, spent three years at Everton before joining Manchester City, so the return talk has a clear fit. Wyness said, “People think it’s a nice fairy tale for John to come back to the club where he came from.”
He also warned against treating the reunion as a straight line. “It would seem an easy option, but I’m not so convinced from what I’m hearing,” Wyness said on Football Insider's Inside Track podcast. “So it’s not certain, but it’s still definitely being discussed.”
Bayern Munich Interest
Bayern Munich could complicate Everton’s push. Wyness said there has been interest from the German club and that it “may well be an option for him that he might prefer.”
He added that Bayern could offer a longer deal, saying, “He might get a better deal in terms of a lengthier contract from what I’m hearing.” That leaves Everton chasing a free transfer target who is weighing more than one route after a season in which he has struggled for game time.
Everton's Summer Plan
Stones has also had injury problems at the Etihad and has found minutes hard to come by amid strong competition for places in Pep Guardiola’s side. Everton could look to strengthen defensively this summer, and David Moyes is set to be backed in the market by the ownership.
Nathan Ake is also linked with Everton and has started five Premier League games throughout the campaign, giving the club another City-related option as it looks at defensive reinforcements. For Stones, the next move is between a return to Goodison Park, another offer, or staying in the market while clubs work through the details.
