Rumoured John Stones

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

On the contrary, our financial position means we can sign, arguably, any player on the planet. We're just choosing to be prudent.

#WelcomeReus

Well, Beasley hasn't said it won't happen yet... ?

[Reddish-Blue 2,226]

The next bid plus peer pressure from Stones, and Everton will be in a corner they don't like being in.

Unless I'm mistaken, Everton hold all the cards...as the player is keen to stay and the club doesn't need to sell

[didierforever 7,349]

34mil pounds... hahahhahahahahha.. what a joke.

to think people thought sterling was overpriced.

[Billy. 2,739]

£34 million is a lot yes but i do think some people here do not understand the prospect this kid has, i truly believe that he can become on of the best defenders in the world and Jose would be the man to get him there. Going by this transfer and the comments that Jose made on RLC it seems like he is looking at the next core of Chelsea In Stones and RLC witch i for one and licking my lips at.

I do also think because we are not going in for Pogba, Reus etc people are seeing this as a negative transfer. Im seeing it as half of the Stones Zouma partnership for the next 10 years.

And on a petty note, if this knocks Rio off the top of the list ill be happy lol

[the wes 7,212]

34mil pounds... hahahhahahahahha.. what a joke.

to think people thought sterling was overpriced.

all english players are overpriced no wonder big english clubs always buy foreign players

[Pizy 17,860]

Really hoping this is the week we get serious. Before someone else gets involved.

At least make another bid that's serious this time and turn Stones' head if it hadn't already been. Maybe if he sees how determined we are to sign him he'll throw in a transfer request.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

£34 million is a lot yes but i do think some people here do not understand the prospect this kid has, i truly believe that he can become on of the best defenders in the world and Jose would be the man to get him there. Going by this transfer and the comments that Jose made on RLC it seems like he is looking at the next core of Chelsea In Stones and RLC witch i for one and licking my lips at.

I do also think because we are not going on for Pogba, Reus etc people are seeing this as a negative transfer. Im seeing it as half of the Stones Zouma partnership for the next 10 years.

And on a petty note, if this knocks Rio off the top of the list ill be happy lol

People also fail to understand that is harder to find top English prospects for your defence than to find top prospects for your midfield or attack. Especially one to fill JTs boots. That's why the comparisons with Sterling's transfer are naive. There have always been and will always be lots of top English prospects available for your midfield and attack, but how many defenders with a great future are out there???

Let's take the last 15 years. How many top midfielders and attackers England has had?? Lots. But how many world class centre backs?? I think only four - Terry, Rio, Sol Campbell and Carragher.

World class English centre backs are so rare that 34m for Stones is nothing in today's market. Jose talked about keeping the English core and normally he must replace one of the greatest defenders this country has had with another Englishman. Stones is a terrific prospect and the best suited to replace the living legend that Terry is.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I mean, when people were so happy to see us spend £26m on Cuadrado, I don't understand why there's such upheaval about the potential Stones signing...

[Jase 43,479]

Really hoping this is the week we get serious. Before someone else gets involved.

At least make another bid that's serious this time and turn Stones' head if it hadn't already been. Maybe if he sees how determined we are to sign him he'll throw in a transfer request.

Reckon we'll see movement (if there's going to be any) in the transfer market once we get back to England.

[oldportblue 547]

I mean, when people were so happy to see us spend £26m on Cuadrado, I don't understand why there's such upheaval about the potential Stones signing...

not to mention that this is exactly the sort of price you'd expect to pay for one of the best CB prospects in europe and the best in england... I guess the real world isn't for everyone

[didierforever 7,349]

I mean, when people were so happy to see us spend £26m on Cuadrado, I don't understand why there's such upheaval about the potential Stones signing...

lets see

we sold schurrle for 24mil, loaned salah. had just 3 AMs (hazard-oscar-willian) for 3 positions. cuadrado was one of fiorentina's best players in europa and one of columbia's best player too. he has not settled here well. so people were happy that we were buying a good back up and mostly just re investing.

now lets talk about stones. a 21 year old player who has one good year (doubt that too cos i remember everton's defence being absolute crap in the start of last season). whats worse is that he is an "unnecessary" signing since we have JT, GC, zouma (who will definitely be the one to suffer the most. i mean i can only imagine how good zouma must feel being relegated to 4th choice CB after putting in brilliant performances against sterling, eriksen, fellaini and aguero).

[lionsden 4,689]

The way £34m is seen as outrageous for a defender while £40m plus for an attacking player is the norm highlights how undervalued defenders are. Defenders are every bit as important as attacking players even more so when you consider that their mistakes are more obvious and costly and put under critical miscroscope which puts greater pressure on them and a good defensive display could often be the difference between 0 pt and 3 pt. Take Carvalho or JT for example (and obviously i'm not saying stones is on their level), If we had spent eye watering fee on them back then, the furore would have been unbearable but they were every bit as in strumental in our success over the decade. The same goes for goal keepers as well.

So why is the contribution of a Willian or an Oscar more valuable to a team achieving success more than that of a JT? That's what the disparity between the transfer fee of Attacking players and defenders in general highlights or implies AFAIC.

[Unionjack 7,531]

The way £34m is seen as outrageous for a defender while £40m plus for an attacking player is the norm highlights how undervalued defenders are. Defenders are every bit as important as attacking players even more so when you consider that their mistakes are more obvious and costly and put under critical miscroscope which puts greater pressure on them and a good defensive display could often be the difference between 0 pt and 3 pt. Take Carvalho or JT for example (and obviously i'm not saying stones is on their level), If we had spent eye watering fee on them back then, the furore would have been unbearable but they were every bit as in strumental in our success over the decade. The same goes for goal keepers as well.

So why is the contribution of a Willian or an Oscar more valuable to a team achieving success more than that of a JT? That's what the disparity between the transfer fee of Attacking players and defenders in general highlights or implies AFAIC.

I agree and hasn't that always been the problem? Keepers I put into the same bracket with defenders.

They don't get any of the headlines when we win but we soon hear about them if we lose.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

The way £34m is seen as outrageous for a defender while £40m plus for an attacking player is the norm highlights how undervalued defenders are. Defenders are every bit as important as attacking players even more so when you consider that their mistakes are more obvious and costly and put under critical miscroscope which puts greater pressure on them and a good defensive display could often be the difference between 0 pt and 3 pt. Take Carvalho or JT for example (and obviously i'm not saying stones is on their level), If we had spent eye watering fee on them back then, the furore would have been unbearable but they were every bit as in strumental in our success over the decade. The same goes for goal keepers as well.

So why is the contribution of a Willian or an Oscar more valuable to a team achieving success more than that of a JT? That's what the disparity between the transfer fee of Attacking players and defenders in general highlights or implies AFAIC.

For me at least it's not the price, it's the fact we don't need another CB. Seeing Zouma's development stunted would be absolutely criminal.

[iseah100 5,612]

I mean, when people were so happy to see us spend £26m on Cuadrado, I don't understand why there's such upheaval about the potential Stones signing...

Most people weren't happy with that signing though.

[Unionjack 7,531]

For me at least it's not the price, it's the fact we don't need another CB. Seeing Zouma's development stunted would be absolutely criminal.

This is the only downside to getting Stones for me. We have got an amazing young CB already that we havent put in over Cahill so what would we do with him then? If you tell me send him out on loan Id go scatty.

I personally think if we get Stones we will end up losing Happy. And that would be a crime.

[lionsden 4,689]

For me at least it's not the price, it's the fact we don't need another CB. Seeing Zouma's development stunted would be absolutely criminal.

JT isn't getting any younger, he will be 35 in Dec, This is the ideal time to secure his longterm replacement and Cahill, many will argue is an average defender at best whose limitations are masked by Jose's tactics and the protection he receives from the midfield (same can be said for JT as well TBF as he's not the quickest nor the best at 1v1 situations against pacy players). Also I will argue that Cahill is one of the biggest reasons why we often struggle to build from the back and maintain posession sometimes against good teams because of his poor distribution and ability on the ball. John Stones is the ideal immediate Cahill replacement while Zouma could be groomed to replace JT longterm and the early signs look extremely encouraging.

[oldportblue 547]

Most people weren't happy with that signing though.

yeah now that he's playing like shite maybe, before the signing was made and as it was being made almost everyone was down for it