JOHN STONES could be offered an escape route to ex-club Everton from his Manchester City misery.
The out-of-favour England defender is currently Pep Guardiola’s FIFTH choice centre-back at the Etihad.
John Stones could be offered an escape route out of Manchester City by old club EvertonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And Everton would be interested in a cut-price deal, having sold Stones to City in a £47million move back in 2016 while Arsenal have also been heavily linked.
Sources close to Stones say the unhappy 26-year-old will consider his options this summer and is open to a return to Goodison Park after falling down the pecking order at City.
Stones was left on the bench for Thursday’s thumping 4-0 win over newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool with Guardiola picking 19-year-old Eric Garcia.
He has two years remaining on his Etihad contract but has failed to nail down a regular spot in Guardiola’s side despite the departure of club legend Vincent Kompany and a long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte.
Stones has not played a single minute for City’s first-team since the season resumed after picking up an ankle injury in training ahead of Project Restart.
But he has been on the bench for the last two matches and being overlooked to face Liverpool will be a big blow to the two-time Premier League winner.
Eric Garcia was preferred in defence by Pep Guardiola for City’s victory over LiverpoolCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Since lockdown, Guardiola has picked centre-back options in fit-again Laporte, Fernandinho before his red card at Chelsea, Nicolas Otamendi and rising star Garcia.
In total, Stones has made only 20 appearances in all competitions this season and that will be a worry for the 39-cap defender and England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 finals next summer.
Ex-City defender Micah Richards reckons Guardiola has lost faith in Stones, whose season has been blighted by errors and injuries.
Stones made a major mistake in City’s Carabao Cup final victory on March 1 that led to an Aston Villa goal.
Sky Sports pundit Richards said: “John Stones, I thought he was going to be the one to step up but it looks like the manager has lost a little bit of faith in him.”
Guardiola was keen to heap praise on Garcia following the thrashing of Jurgen Klopp’s champs and believes the Spanish centre-back is the future.
When asked if Garcia will get more game time for the rest of the campaign and next season, Guardiola said: “He’s so smart and intelligent. He guides the line incredibly well, he’s a guy who communicates for his mates, he’s so intuitive and he’s so young.
“I know from his career in Barcelona every single season he was the captain, nominated by his mates. That’s his personality. He is all the time paying attention, listens, doesn’t talk much, wants to learn.
“That’s why he deserves to play. He doesn’t make mistakes and what he has to do he does it properly and that’s what you have to do to be a central defender, don’t make mistakes.”
Pep Guardiola slams John Stones for not being ready to come on for injured Rodri
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
