GAMBLING FEATURE
Former Everton defender John Stones is out of contract this summer and available on a free transfer following ten trophy-laden years with Manchester City. Right now, he’s somewhere in Kansas City, starting ahead of another City star in the form of Marc Guehi at the heart of England’s defence at the World Cup. And if the Three Lions’ opener against Croatia is anything to go by, a successful summer could well be on the cards.
With Stones alongside Aston Villa captain Ezri Konsa in defence, the Three Lions kicked off their tournament in perfect fashion, defeating their perennial bogey team, Croatia, by four goals to two after strikes from Harry Kane (two), Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford. But once the tournament comes to an end, could Stones be poised for a return to the blue half of Merseyside? If the bookies are to be believed, it’s certainly a possibility.
John Stones’ Future
The 32-year-old enjoyed three stellar campaigns at Goodison Park between 2013 and 2016, developing into a genuinely elite defender and picking up the first of his 90-and-counting England caps. He would go on to become the most expensive English defender — and the second most expensive of anybody behind David Luiz — in August 2016, when Pep Guardiola lured him to the Etihad for some £50m. But a decade on and a return could well be on the cards.
If the bookies are to be believed, the Toffees are currently locked in a four-way fight in the pursuit of his signature, with German giants Bayern Munich as well as Italian heavyweights AC Milan and Juventus all in contention. Four clubs in genuine contention means that bookmakers are working off slightly different information at any given time, and that’s rarely a stable situation.
Every fresh report out of Munich or Liverpool tends to move one book before the others catch up, opening small but real gaps in the “next club” market. For fans tracking the saga closely, an arbitrage calculator turns that inconsistency into something usable — plug in the latest odds from each bookmaker, and it’ll flag whether the spread between them has tipped into genuine risk-free territory. Given how quickly a deal like this could be confirmed, those windows tend to be short-lived, which is exactly when the tool earns its keep.
So, will Everton win the race? Let’s take a look at each of the contenders in depth and determine just how likely a return to Merseyside truly is for the England international.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have made a habit of snapping up English talent in recent years. Harry Kane headed to Bavaria three years ago for £100m, but it was the free transfer of Eric Dier that made a potential deal for Stones look all the more likely. The much-maligned former Spurs man headed to Bavaria, initially on a six-month loan deal, in January 2024, despite the fact that most English observers had written him off as an elite defender. From there, the former Sporting CP youngster would thrive, earning himself a one-year deal before moving on to AS Monaco last summer.
For Stones, a similar late career renaissance could be in the offing. He brings with him a wealth of experience of playing at the very highest level, and he would surely thrive as a rotation piece behind guaranteed starters Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah. Not only that, but Bayern boss Vincent Kompany played alongside Stones at the heart of Manchester City’s defence for three years, winning back-to-back Premier League titles together in 2018 and 2019.
As such, the Belgian manager knows just how good Stones truly is, and he also knows what he would bring to his current side. That could well be the decisive factor in the race for the Englishman’s signature.
Everton
But the homecoming narrative writes itself. Stones became a beloved figure for Everton throughout his stint with the club, developing into one of the Premier League’s very best defenders. His ability to play out from the back added a new dimension to the Toffees, and it was ultimately that which prompted Manchester City to make him the most expensive English defender of all time. Fast forward a decade, and that ball-playing ability remains, as does a newly minted wealth of experience that didn’t exist the last time Stones pulled on an Everton shirt.
The question for Stones is, does the lure of playing for Bayern Munich, even in a bit-part role, outweigh being a key cornerstone of Everton’s defence? If it does, and let’s face it, the lure of the Bavarians is second to none, then the decision may already be made. However, if he still wants to be a guaranteed starter in the Premier League with a club that already adores him, the homecoming could well be the answer.
The Italian Job
Both AC Milan and Juventus are also interested in Stones, albeit as outsiders. Both Italian giants are at somewhat of a low point in their respective illustrious histories, having both missed out on Champions League qualification last season. And truth be told, both are in dire need of reinforcements in the centre of defence.
Fellow Englishman Fikayo Tomori is arguably Milan’s only true world-class defender, and Stones would likely slot into the Rossoneri’s backline alongside the Englishman and immediately strengthen it. Brazilian Bremer is Juventus’ sole star defender, although Englishman Lloyd Kelly has impressed. Either team would be much improved with Stones in their lineup, but considering the lack of Champions League football for both, they remain outsiders behind Bayern and Everton.
