John Stones

[cleavers]

We could have had the guy for even less when we were setting fire to £40 mill for Mangala. Not by any means the greatest CB in the world but a lot cheaper, could have done a job and ticked the HG box. Plus leave us with £30 mill.

Might point was, that if we did bid £12m for Ashley Williams this place would go into melt down not that I want us too bid.

Pep wants Stones, so he obviously see's something he wants, good enough for me. Mangala shouldn't be written off either, he's young and can learn, and he now has a manager who can teach, same with Otamendi, who I hope is being coached to stop launching himself and missing. With the 3 we currently have, Stones, Denayer, and Tosin all knocking around we would for the first time in recent seasons have decent cover at CB, with an environment where there is some competition.

 

[blueparrot]

Might point was, that if we did bid £12m for Ashley Williams this place would go into melt down not that I want us too bid.

Pep wants Stones, so he obviously see's something he wants, good enough for me. Mangala shouldn't be written off either, he's young and can learn, and he now has a manager who can teach, same with Otamendi, who I hope is being coached to stop launching himself and missing. With the 3 we currently have, Stones, Denayer, and Tosin all knocking around we would for the first time in recent seasons have decent cover at CB, with an environment where there is some competition.

Agree about Mangala, but if we bring in Stones plus Sane we need to offload 4 . I can't see Mangala not being one of the four, with Bony, Fernando, and Kolarov. Possibly Navas or Nasri could be alternatives but I only see them going if we bring in replacement attacker or central midfielder.

 

[Silva2021]

If true Williams is a great deal for them for 10 million and if they sell Stones for 40 million they are 30 million up and in my opinion slightly stronger in the short term depending on whether Koeman wishes to play out from the back.

On a different note Boateng widely acknowledges the difference Pep made to his career, so surprised that none of the media mention how good it would be for England having a CB with great potential working under the best manager and coaching team in the game!!

 

[ono]

I must interpret this as a joke.

How can you say he is clearly any better though? Denayer has had a great couple of years, breaking into a national side which has a hell of a lot of better options at centre half than Cahill and Smalling. Stones couldn't even dislodge Mori from a lower midtable side last season.

 

[@BluePhil8]

Agree about Mangala, but if we bring in Stones plus Sane we need to offload 4 . I can't see Mangala not being one of the four, with Bony, Fernando, and Kolarov. Possibly Navas or Nasri could be alternatives but I only see them going if we bring in replacement attacker or central midfielder.

If we are playing 3 at the back I think we will need 5 good centre backs. Mangala, Stones, Otamendi, Kompany and Denayer.

I have no idea who Pep will sell as he seems to be giving everyone a fair crack but my choices would be for Yaya, Bony, Fernando, Kolarov and maybe Sagna to leave.

 

[sir baconface]

If he hands in a transfer request, would that have a major bearing?

 

[TRUE BLUE NO1]

If he hands in a transfer request, would that have a major bearing?

Dont think so mate, He handed in a transfer request last summer when Chelsea made 3 bids but Everton rejected.

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...ansfer-request-not-his-doing-roberto-martinez

 

[SWP's back]

If he hands in a transfer request, would that have a major bearing?

Judging by last summer, it would appear not. He's told them he wants to leave.

 

[doobyedoobye]

Keeping a player for 2 years against his will at such a young age will obviously have a negative impact on his development and value.
Hold firm in negotiation.
It's not just about it's consequence on this deal it's about all the others moving forward.

 

[sir baconface]

Dont think so mate, He handed in a transfer request last summer when Chelsea made 3 bids but Everton rejected.

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...ansfer-request-not-his-doing-roberto-martinez

Cheers mate. I had forgotten that. Even so, we are another year on and Everton may possibly be less comfortable about holding him for a second time. Just speculating though.