John Stones makes major decision on his future amid transfer links to Everton, ‘I want to…’

Everton have been linked with John Stones this summer, and the club have now learned what the central defender want to do.

Everton have had a quiet start to the summer on the incomings front so far.

Only Carlos Alcaraz has signed, but fans really see him as a player retained, after he spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Goodison Park.

Fans are now starting to get a little twitchy, with a host of positions needing to be filled.

Everton are thought to be prioritising four positions at the moment. It’s thought a new central midfielder, right-back, right winger and striker are at the top of the agenda.

One signing that is probably less important to make is a new a central defender, given there are already good options.

But regardless of that, Everton have been linked with a move for John Stones – who has now made his stance clear.

Everton target John Stones says he wants to stay at Man City

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images

Stones had been linked with a sensational return to Everton, after leaving the club to join City in a deal worth £50 million back in 2016.

MORE EVERTON STORIES

Journalist Alan Myers said Moyes really likes Stones, and that there was a potential pathway for him to return to Everton.

There has always been some curiosity about a potential return to the club for him one day.

But that return will not be happening this summer.

Because Stones has broken his silence about his immediate future – and he says he wants to remain at City.

Admitting his injury problems have given him ‘dark days’, he said: “I’m here, I want to stay here, I love it. I’m here to help the team, and I don’t know if what’s been said or speculated, but I hope that kind of shuts it down.

“There’s been points where you think, you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life, especially how I approach or go about my life, and football, I give everything, on and off the pitch to be here or be ready to play games and [there] are the dark days. Everyone’s been through them and think: ‘Why is this happening?’

“You wish it would have gone a different path. All of us have been through different upbringings and challenges through life and what did we do within those situations, was it fight or was it give up? I was a fighter from a young age, in difficult moments, you have to look at the bigger picture and realise what are your morals, what you believe in, and fight to make it worthwhile.”

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Everton’s hopes of landing Stones dashed

So Everton have learned Stones’ position, and the situation is now pretty definitive.

The message is loud and clear for David Moyes, who must now go back to the drawing board and look at alternatives.

Of course at the moment, other positions are a higher priority.

But another centre-back option would be nice given James Tarkowski just had surgery.

But Stones won’t be that centre-back signing. And in all honesty, it would probably have been too much of a risk for Everton anyway.

The injury record is there for all to see, and it would have been a lot of money to commit to signing a player who sadly does not have great availability.

Click here to read article