John Stones has an uncertain future at Manchester City as he’s surplus to requirements under Pep Guardiola and nearly left to join Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day.
According to the Daily Mail, Spurs’ proposed a loan deal with a £20m buying option for the 26-year-old, but a move failed to materialise as Stones was unwilling to leave City.
Where will Manchester City finish this season?
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The England international has struggled for form and playing time in 2020 and finds himself behind Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Eric Garcia and Ruben Dias in the pecking order. He’s featured only once in five games this season and has been left out of the matchday squad three times.
It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Stones sold this summer, but Garcia’s uncertain future likely meant only one of the two players would go. The Daily Mail don’t say whether Guardiola was open to accepting Tottenham’s proposal, but the money put up may not have been enough.
We paid £50m for the 26-year-old who still has two years remaining on his deal, so would we really accept £20m? CIES Football Observatory say Stones is worth €15m-€20m (£13.6m-£18.2m) while his valuation with Transfermarkt is £27m, but I don’t see why we would entertain a low number.
In other news, here’s why Barcelona failed to sign Eric Garcia from Manchester City on deadline day