John Stones | Everton say they will reject all bids

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YouOnlyLiveTwice said:
Ideally we would buy him and Otamendi, i think Otamendi and Jones would represent the more "aggressive" type of defender, while Smalling and Stones would be the Rio Ferdinand's type of defender.

Not gonna happen though :(
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Smalling is nothing like Ferdinand?! Ferdinand was one of the best ball playing defenders around, Smalling is quite clumsy on the ball - Jones is better on the ball than him. Smalling is a classic game reading, strong defender, not very good on the ball though.

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I'd love Stones. Get Stones and Otamendi in and we'll be defensively sound for the foreseeable future. We MIGHT not even need a right back as Stones and Jones could fill in there (I'd still like one).
 
LennonNL said:
Smalling is nothing like Ferdinand?! Ferdinand was one of the best ball playing defenders around, Smalling is quite clumsy on the ball - Jones is better on the ball than him. Smalling is a classic game reading, strong defender, not very good on the ball though.

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I'd love Stones. Get Stones and Otamendi in and we'll be defensively sound for the foreseeable future. We MIGHT not even need a right back as Stones and Jones could fill in there (I'd still like one).
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Yeah, i'm not comparing Smalling and Ferdinands ability on the ball, but more their defending style, ie not throwing themselves Down into tackles but a more calm approach.
 
He'd bring depth and versatility - especially important at right back considering we're playing a winger there full time now because Rafael is never fit and when he is doesnt get picked. I like Stones actually and think he's got a ton of talent.
 
RooneyLegend said:
Surprised its taken us this long to go for him. We need someone like him to fill the void that Rio left and there isn't a better Rio like defender than him available. He's as big a defensive prospect you can find out there. We're not conceding goals cause our defenders lack experience, we're conceding cause the team isn't organised enough, our defenders are injury prone and simple not good enough.
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Experience is overrated tbh even for defenders.Did anyone complain about Baresi or Maldini's lack of experience in their first few seasons?Experience didn't save Ferdinand in his last season here.We need to look at how the players perform and gauge whether he can play in a higher level.Stones already played 40+ games for Everton and had an impressive season.It's time for him to step up.

This is the right time to go for him.Last season was a crucial breakthrough season for him at Everton, would be too early to move at that time.If we wait for one more season either Man City/Chelsea will get him or his value will gone mad.
 
LennonNL said:
Smalling is nothing like Ferdinand?! Ferdinand was one of the best ball playing defenders around, Smalling is quite clumsy on the ball - Jones is better on the ball than him. Smalling is a classic game reading, strong defender, not very good on the ball though.

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I'd love Stones. Get Stones and Otamendi in and we'll be defensively sound for the foreseeable future. We MIGHT not even need a right back as Stones and Jones could fill in there (I'd still like one).
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Pls no. Let's get a proper RB in so we won't have to play them out of position.
 
Rather than experience (which we also need) we need some sound competition ie defenders must feel the pressure that 1 mistake will be enough to lose their first team place. That does work wonders in terms of maturity
 
Sultan said:
I was referring to centre-back positions.
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As said, Rojo can easily be considered as cover/competition for Shaw, freeing a spot in CB. Having 4 players (Otamendi, Smalling, Stones, Jones) competing for 2 roles is hardly overkill, especially when 2 of them tend to need time in the treatment room.
 
devilish said:
As said, Rojo can easily be considered as cover/competition for Shaw, freeing a spot in CB. Having 4 players (Otamendi, Smalling, Stones, Jones) competing for 2 roles is hardly overkill, especially when 2 of them tend to need time in the treatment room.
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Rojo wouldn't be any competition for Shaw, he's woeful at LB. Decent CB though with scope for improvement. Blind should be Shaw's competition/back up and Rojo as the third choice.

Better off getting rid of Evans, bringing in one more CB and then investing that money in replacing/competition for Carrick. The added advantage of that being we might never have to see Blind play as a DM for us again.
 
Skills said:
Rojo wouldn't be any competition for Shaw, he's woeful at LB. Decent CB though with scope for improvement. Blind should be Shaw's competition/back up and Rojo as the third choice.

Better off getting rid of Evans, bringing in one more CB and then investing that money in replacing/competition for Carrick. The added advantage of that being we might never have to see Blind play as a DM for us again.
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I think Evens time is surely up. Blind at left back is positionally better than Rojo, less impulsive & better at linking up going forward, however he appears frighteningly slow, even compared to Rojo, who also, has a bit more steel to him. Either can do the filling in job at LB, though when we talk of this in the RB position, there's uproar "We need a specialist" - which of course we do in an ideal world.

However, with the right man in there, I think you can opt for a versatile player who's not a specialist, if the latter is not available. Henderson in there for England wasn't ideal & may have contributed to conceding a goal but I wouldn't mind seeing if McCarthy could play there - suspect he'd be better than Valencia.

Smalling, Otamendi, Jones, McNair, Carrick, Rojo, Shaw, McCarthy, Valencia, Blind is enough defensive cover with a good few of those having the midfield option too.
 
Skills said:
Rojo wouldn't be any competition for Shaw, he's woeful at LB. Decent CB though with scope for improvement. Blind should be Shaw's competition/back up and Rojo as the third choice.

Better off getting rid of Evans, bringing in one more CB and then investing that money in replacing/competition for Carrick. The added advantage of that being we might never have to see Blind play as a DM for us again.
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We should bring a dm irrespective on whether we bring 1-2 cbs. Carrick wont last long and we need a replacement
 
If Evans is leaving, Stones would make sense as an option and maybe more. Otherwise, I don't see much point. We can't afford any more experiments. We need proven quality at the back.
 
Shark said:
If Evans is leaving, Stones would make sense as an option and maybe more. Otherwise, I don't see much point. We can't afford any more experiments. We need proven quality at the back.
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Stones is proven quality for me.
 
Ozio said:
Pls no. Let's get a proper RB in so we won't have to play them out of position.
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(I'd still like one) ;)
All I'm saying is Stones especially is a decent right back. I'd still love us to get a proper one, too.
 
Such a classy player, off and on the field.

On the field he's a monstrous talent who is still clearly naive but able to rectify his mistakes in either the next couple of games or by making last ditch tackles and blocks that make him appear to be a veteran defender rather than a scrawny 21 year old from Barnsley. His ability as a ball playing centre back are unquestionable. While he has lost the ball a few times when using this skill, its inevitable that playing this type of football will lead to that sometimes. The skill isn't just for show though, he's a very capable passer of the ball both short and long. I can't remember if it was this season or last where he played a cracking ball to someone from the back that led to a goal. Not afraid to get stuck in and take one for the team in terms of getting to the ball first, not afraid to shout at his superiors or his older teammates. Has confidence in his own ability completely and is showing all the attributes needed for a future captain. If he doesn't leave then he will definitely be captain of Everton quite soon i'd imagine, but even if he does leave he'll most likely become captain there too. A nomination in the European Golden Boy Award is evidence enough for how highly rated he is by the footballing world.

I say that he's a classy player off the field too as i remember there being a survey made about PL footballers and which one spent most time off the field doing commercial work and activities such as volunteering roles in the community, visiting hospitals etc., and he was at the top of the list as the player who committed the most time to do things such as this.

Our most valuable player at the moment in my opinion.
 
khoazany said:
Experience is overrated tbh even for defenders.Did anyone complain about Baresi or Maldini's lack of experience in their first few seasons?Experience didn't save Ferdinand in his last season here.We need to look at how the players perform and gauge whether he can play in a higher level.Stones already played 40+ games for Everton and had an impressive season.It's time for him to step up.

This is the right time to go for him.Last season was a crucial breakthrough season for him at Everton, would be too early to move at that time.If we wait for one more season either Man City/Chelsea will get him or his value will gone mad.
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All the clubs not looking in his direction are going to regret it once he joins another club. It seems the name isn't fancy enough or something for people to recognise his talent.
 
Everton obviously will not sell him this summer. I'd imagine he's a huge part of Martines's plans next season. Maybe a couple of years down the line they will sell Barkley and Stones but right now both players still have a lot of learning to do so it would be best to stay at Everton for the sake of their careers. I wonder is next season the moment Barkley will find that extra gear to become the world class talent we all expect him to become
 
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Been saying it for a while now, apart from Terry he's the best English CB around.
 
I'd love it if we signed Stones. Wouldn't mind Kane either... I think that a strong British core is essential for United's identity, even if not all players are home grown.

I'm a bit depressed with all the names being brought up as possible summer signings regardless of how good they are... Otamendi, Firmino, Bacca, Cillessen, that Rodrigo bloke, Anderson from Lazio, Ramos, Benzema et al. Football Manager stuff. Doesn't feel like United anymore. It's been for some time now that modern football has turned into a signing contest, but for some reason this summer feels like a new low. It seems like all we can wish our youth system products is a loan with some shite team where they are likely to disappear.

I guess we're still better than Chelsea and City though because we make our own money.
 
holyland red said:
I'd love it if we signed Stones. Wouldn't mind Kane either... I think that a strong British core is essential for United's identity, even if not all players are home grown.

I'm a bit depressed with all the names being brought up as possible summer signings regardless of how good they are... Otamendi, Firmino, Bacca, Cillessen, that Rodrigo bloke, Anderson from Lazio, Ramos, Benzema et al. Football Manager stuff. Doesn't feel like United anymore. It's been for some time now that modern football has turned into a signing contest, but for some reason this summer feels like a new low. It seems like all we can wish our youth system products is a loan with some shite team where they are likely to disappear.

I guess we're still better than Chelsea and City though because we make our own money.
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I'd say the only reason its important to have a British core is they are more likely to remain loyal to the club as its widely accepted that we're the pinnacle of the english game and not many British players move abroad.
 
Bwuk said:
Been saying it for a while now, apart from Terry he's the best English CB around.
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and apart Smalling :-) both would work well I feel if we signed Stones, the SS duo would terrorize everyone's attacks.
 
m1y2 said:
and apart Smalling :-) both would work well I feel if we signed Stones, the SS duo would terrorize everyone's attacks.
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He's better than Smalling. Look at the difference in technique between the two.
 
SilentWitness said:
Such a classy player, off and on the field.

On the field he's a monstrous talent who is still clearly naive but able to rectify his mistakes in either the next couple of games or by making last ditch tackles and blocks that make him appear to be a veteran defender rather than a scrawny 21 year old from Barnsley. His ability as a ball playing centre back are unquestionable. While he has lost the ball a few times when using this skill, its inevitable that playing this type of football will lead to that sometimes. The skill isn't just for show though, he's a very capable passer of the ball both short and long. I can't remember if it was this season or last where he played a cracking ball to someone from the back that led to a goal. Not afraid to get stuck in and take one for the team in terms of getting to the ball first, not afraid to shout at his superiors or his older teammates. Has confidence in his own ability completely and is showing all the attributes needed for a future captain. If he doesn't leave then he will definitely be captain of Everton quite soon i'd imagine, but even if he does leave he'll most likely become captain there too. A nomination in the European Golden Boy Award is evidence enough for how highly rated he is by the footballing world.

I say that he's a classy player off the field too as i remember there being a survey made about PL footballers and which one spent most time off the field doing commercial work and activities such as volunteering roles in the community, visiting hospitals etc., and he was at the top of the list as the player who committed the most time to do things such as this.

Our most valuable player at the moment in my opinion.
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Nice post man :)
 
Bwuk said:
He's better than Smalling. Look at the difference in technique between the two.
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Iď say he has the potential but right now at 21 he is nowhere near Smalling who is much better at defending which is why the players are called defenders, ball playing is good but McNair is also better with the ball but there is a big margin between him and Smaling in overall ability.

Stones have time to develop, if he stays injury-free and make the right steps in his career than he has potential to be on top earlier than Smalling who was arguably the second best center back only to Terry this season or since the game against City that's for sure.. but I feel it's you the only guy on Caf who constantly underrate Smalling so...
 
I am a big fan, and would have no qualms in him being our centre-half signing. I also agree experience is overrated, and where possible, if we can actually get the required quality for us that happens to be English/British, I don't even mind paying extra. If we could have Smalling,Jones, Shaw (and possibly Clyne/Coleman) in our back four, in addition to Bale and Kane in attack - then I'd be all for it. I think we could actually have a team capable of competing with continental counterparts with a core that should settle and be attached here.
 
Bwuk said:
He's better than Smalling. Look at the difference in technique between the two.
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I think some folk mistake Smalling for Varane.

He ended the 2nd half of the season well, so lets hope he stays fit & progresses even further. We need 2 top-class CB's in though & i'll be absolutely baffled / pissed off, if that doesnt happen. We aint winning anything with what we have at CB. Get rid of Evans straight away too.

Mark_GrumpyLion said:
Would love to have him here. Massive talent, fits Manchester United's identity and is one for the future who is less likely to feck off to Real Madrid in the future.
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Agree with all that Mark - he's gonna be a world-class CB soon enough. He's a traditional United player in every way - a little cavalier, silky, but very classy & wants to win. Very down to earth & humble fella aswell - not exactly the DNA of most English footballers it has to be said..
 
I'm not sure what would be in it for Stones. Right now he's not as good a defender as Smalling - he'd be in the position Smalling was in a few years ago - either on the bench or playing right back. The reality is that he'd be better to stay and develop for a couple of years at Everton. If he gets to be as good as many on here expect, that's the time to move.
 
ravelston said:
I'm not sure what would be in it for Stones. Right now he's not as good a defender as Smalling - he'd be in the position Smalling was in a few years ago - either on the bench or playing right back. The reality is that he'd be better to stay and develop for a couple of years at Everton. If he gets to be as good as many on here expect, that's the time to move.
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I think the same as you, that he should stay at Everton to develop. We bought Phil Jones as a youngster, he was supposed to be a future captain of United and England. He has not progressed as well as he should. Not all his fault, but maybe he needed to be somewhere to play in just one position. Here he gets moved all over and just seems to be a utility player, jack of all trades, master of none.
 
He'll stay this season. With Distin and Alcaraz gone we only have him and Jagielka who'll be 33 at the start of the season. Desperately need reinforcements in that area let alone lose our best young player who happens to play in that position.
 
DomesticTadpole said:
I think the same as you, that he should stay at Everton to develop. We bought Phil Jones as a youngster, he was supposed to be a future captain of United and England. He has not progressed as well as he should. Not all his fault, but maybe he needed to be somewhere to play in just one position. Here he gets moved all over and just seems to be a utility player, jack of all trades, master of none.
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He will play. LVG is not like the Fergie who left us who favoured experience over everything. There is no Rio/Vidic partnership here, the centre-half spots here are very much up for grabs, so I see no reason why a big money signing as talented as Stones will be coming here to be a sub.
 
Rozay said:
I am a big fan, and would have no qualms in him being our centre-half signing. I also agree experience is overrated, and where possible, if we can actually get the required quality for us that happens to be English/British, I don't even mind paying extra. If we could have Smalling,Jones, Shaw (and possibly Clyne/Coleman) in our back four, in addition to Bale and Kane in attack - then I'd be all for it. I think we could actually have a team capable of competing with continental counterparts with a core that should settle and be attached here.
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This, couldn't agree more, building a solid base of British talent for the next several years should be a priority for a club like United, I would rather we went all out for Stones with a 30-40mill bid, than a Hummels or other more high profile CB's.
 
We are better off making a big push for him now. The price will only go up from here. Plus while he is young he is not that young. He has played first team Football for three seasons now. And like has been mentioned the CB spots are up for grabs so he would be able to immediately compete for a spot in the first 11.
 
BennyBlanco said:
This, couldn't agree more, building a solid base of British talent for the next several years should be a priority for a club like United, I would rather we went all out for Stones with a 30-40mill bid, than a Hummels or other more high profile CB's.
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Yeah, that's all well and good if they're good enough (not all promising talent turns to gold). Hummels and their like are established proven players. I like both, homegrown and not, promising and established. An ideal team would have a mixture of both I suppose. FWIW, I believe we could do with a defender without any question marks attached - It has been a relative problem this season, so we should, get a 9/10 defender consistently who is capable of leading the line with authority.
 
RedFish said:
Yeah, that's all well and good if they're good enough (not all promising talent turns to gold). Hummels and their like are established proven players. I like both, homegrown and not, promising and established. An ideal team would have a mixture of both I suppose. FWIW, I believe we could do with a defender without any question marks attached - It has been a relative problem this season, so we should, get a 9/10 defender consistently who is capable of leading the line with authority.
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We already have such defender.
 
Definitely not the best RB option, but could do a job there until he becomes first choice CB. Defo better than Toni.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
We are better off making a big push for him now. The price will only go up from here. Plus while he is young he is not that young. He has played first team Football for three seasons now. And like has been mentioned the CB spots are up for grabs so he would be able to immediately compete for a spot in the first 11.
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Absolutely Keeps. Get him now & pay the dough. That lad is an exceptional talent & i'm not just talkin about him as a defender - that fella could play in CM too. He has it all & his potential is immense - he's a United-type player if ever i seen one..
 
RedFish said:
Yeah, that's all well and good if they're good enough (not all promising talent turns to gold). Hummels and their like are established proven players. I like both, homegrown and not, promising and established. An ideal team would have a mixture of both I suppose. FWIW, I believe we could do with a defender without any question marks attached - It has been a relative problem this season, so we should, get a 9/10 defender consistently who is capable of leading the line with authority.
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He's already better than Hummels despite being younger.
 
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