Football
Everton Eye Sensational John Stones Homecoming as Manchester City Contract Winds Down
Manchester City defender John Stones is at a crossroads with his contract expiring. Everton has expressed interest in bringing him back, but Bayern Munich is also circling. Stones is considering his future, with the World Cup possibly influencing his decision after pondering retirement last season due to injuries. His next move could shape the final act of his outstanding career.
Manchester City v Salford City - Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA | Getty Images
Everton have made tentative enquiries about bringing John Stones back to Goodison Park, but any move will hinge on whether he decides his future lies away from Manchester, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The Manchester City defender is approaching a crossroads in his glittering career as his contract at the Etihad begins to run down after nearly a decade at the club.
Stones joined City from Everton in the summer of 2016 in a deal worth around £47.5million, which at the time made him one of the most expensive defenders in world football.
Since then he has become a central pillar of City’s dominance under Pep Guardiola.
Across tens seasons in Manchester (including this), Stones has racked up 291 appearances for City in all competitions, 178 in the Premier League and helped deliver a haul of major silverware, including six Premier League titles, multiple domestic cups and the club’s historic UEFA Champions League triumph in 2023.
His Premier League career stretches back even further. After breaking through at Everton in 2013, Stones has now spent 13 years in the top-flight.
REUNION
But with his contract up this summer our sources have learnt the 31-year-old is understood to be weighing up the next chapter of his career - and a return to Merseyside has been quietly explored.
Everton and manager David Moyes, who originally signed Stones all those years ago, remain hugely fond of the defender they developed into a Premier League star, and sources say the club have sounded out the possibility of a sensational reunion.
The biggest stumbling block could be money. Even with his contract situation, Stones would command a significant transfer fee and sizeable wages, figures that could prove challenging for the Toffees’ hierarchy.
German giants Bayern Munich are also keeping tabs on the England star, with boss Vincent Kompany known to be a huge admirer. Kompany, a legendary former City captain, worked closely with Stones during their time together in Manchester and is believed to view him as the ideal experienced leader for Bayern’s defence.
For Stones himself, the coming months could shape the final act of an outstanding career.
INFLUENCE
The England international, capped 87 times by his country, is expected to feature at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, and knows the tournament could influence his next move.
Amazingly, in October last year Stones revealed he considered retiring last season because of injury because of troublesome foot and hamstring injuries.
"Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about stopping," admitted Stones.
"I didn't want to do it. I had had enough of being so professional and trying to do everything right in my power, to then keep breaking down and not having the answers. It was a very difficult place to be in.
"[But] my emotions were high. I wasn't thinking straight. I don't think deep down I would have ever done it [retired].”
After more than a decade at the summit of English football, this summer could determine where Stones writes the final chapter of a remarkable career.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.