Former Everton Chief Provides Update On Defender: Should His Signing Be The Priority For The Toffees? | OneFootball

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness has outlined why a John Stones Everton reunion this summer could represent exceptional value for the club, while also raising the one factor that should give David Moyes serious pause.

John Stones, Everton Free Transfer Eyed, But Injury Record Casts Long Shadow

Wyness, who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs, spoke exclusively to Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast about the possibility of Stones returning as a free agent in 2026. The 31-year-old’s contract at Manchester City expires on 30 June, and Guardiola has raised the possibility that this season could be Stones’ last at the Etihad.

Wyness made the financial case simply enough. Everton sold Stones to City for approximately £48.5 million in 2016, and recovering him without a fee a decade on would, in the former chief’s words, represent “good business.” He cautioned, however, that the injury history demands a thorough assessment before any commitment.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “You know, there are some pros and cons about John. Obviously, an Everton history before, and we actually sold him to City for about 48 and a half million pounds. So to get him back on a free would be good business. But there have been some rumours of him being slightly injury-prone. So, I think we’ve got to check that out fully. So, provided he can be injury-free, then I think that could be interesting.” 

Guardiola admitted in January that Stones had not been training with the squad, and with Marc Guehi arriving from Crystal Palace in January, the Barnsley-born defender’s role at the Etihad has shrunk further. Stones returned to the starting XI for the first time since 25th November in the FA Cup win over Salford City in February, featuring for just over an hour after a prolonged thigh injury absence. That statistic sums up the concern Wyness flagged.

Should A John Stones Everton Reunion Be The Priority This Summer?

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: John Stones of Manchester City takes to the field prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Newcastle United and Manchester City on March 07, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

The sentimental pull is easy to understand, but the footballing case deserves a much harder look. Stones remains technically gifted; comfortable in possession, capable of progressing the ball from deep, and versatile enough to operate as a defensive midfielder at an elite level, as he demonstrated so brilliantly during City’s 2022-23 Treble campaign.

His 87 England caps speak for themselves. His availability, though, paints a worrying picture. Since that peak in 2023, Stones has managed barely any sustained run of matches, repeatedly breaking down with thigh and muscle problems that have kept him sidelined for months at a stretch. That weakness is obvious and keeps repeating itself: his body simply does not hold up across a full season anymore.

Everton sit eighth in the Premier League under Moyes, who has steadied the ship admirably since returning in January 2025 as the Friedkin Group pushes for bigger things from their impressive new Hill Dickinson Stadium home. A fit Stones at Goodison would bring real leadership and ball-playing quality, but “a fit John Stones” has become the rarest thing in football.

Arriving as a 32-year-old with a chronic injury record, he would likely command substantial wages for a defender who may miss a third of the campaign. Everton need consistency above all else right now, and the numbers on risk do not add up well. Realistically, Inter Milan and other clubs are already circling Stones, and sides with deeper, more settled squads are better positioned to carry that injury gamble. A John Stones Everton move makes for a good story, but Moyes needs a defender who can actually stay fit across a season, and Stones cannot honestly guarantee that right now.