Manchester City close to signing Everton’s John Stones

Manchester City are reportedly close to signing Everton center-back John Stones in a deal rumored to be worth “around £53m.”

Alex Varney of talksport.com has reported that Manchester City are nearing a deal for Everton’s prized young defender:

"City have made contact with Everton over a deal for the 22-year-old and Stones is understood to have informed Ronald Koeman, the Merseysiders’ new manager, of his desire to seal a move to the Etihad Stadium.talkSPORT understands the two clubs are now close to agreeing a deal which will see Stones become the most expensive defender in the world."

Varney puts the proposed eventual fee at “around £53m,” a sum that would exceed what French Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain paid Chelsea for Brazilian David Luiz in 2014.

It’s a lavish fee, particularly for a young central defender who struggled at times with the Toffees during the 2015/16 Premier League season.

Stones repeatedly showed his inexperience by getting caught in possession in dangerous areas of the pitch. Indeed, the 22-year-old’s penchant for playing out from the back became a hindrance rather than an asset, even for an Everton team built to keep the ball on the deck by then-manager Roberto Martinez.

Of course, Stones’ desire to be a ball-playing center-back should endear him to new City manager Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard also demands his teams boss possession through short, neat and quick exchanges of passes that start at the back.

Despite his struggles, Stones is still young enough to develop into the top-quality defender many expect him to be. It will take good coaching to iron out the ex-Barnsley man’s bad habits, astute tutoring he’s sure to receive from Guardiola and his staff.

It seems a mere matter of time before this deal is concluded, with rumors growing in the last few weeks. Recently, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague told Radio 5 live Sport he believes Stones will be a City player, a move he feels will reinvigorate the player’s game:

If Guardiola can get the best out of Stones, he’ll go a long way to fortifying the soft defensive centre that cost City so often in last season’s title race. Paired with skipper Vincent Kompany, Stones will give Guardiola’s new-look squad a solid and cultured platform at the back.

Guardiola has made it clear how important a fit-again Kompany can be, per Mail Online‘s Jack Gaughan: “The new boss said last week that his ‘dream’ for Kompany was for the Belgian to regain his consistent full fitness.”

Kompany staying fit, something he’s struggled to do, will be crucial for Stones’ development. The Belgian can act as a vital on-pitch mentor to the young and raw defender.

Stones represents a potentially big and risky investment. But if it pays off, the Citizens could have one of the best center-backs in England’s top flight underpinning their defense for the next decade.