Chelsea hopeful of securing a bargain deal for John Stones
According to the Mirror, Chelsea are hoping to sign Manchester City star John Stones on the cheap.
Fixing Chelsea’s leaky defence has become a priority for Frank Lampard this summer. The deficiencies were once again on show last night as the Blues succumbed 4-1 to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
The likes of Declan Rice, Jose Gimenez and Gabriel Magalhaes have all been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. The latest to join that list is Manchester City outcast John Stones.
Currently out of favour at the Etihad, Stones has made just 24 appearances in what has been an injury-hit season where he has also struggled for form.
According to the report, Pep Guardiola is not against letting the English international. He could be available for £20m. This represents a significant loss for a player who cost £47.5m just four years ago.
City recently signed Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, which should put Stones lower down the pecking order. The 26-year-old was a regular for City in the last two campaigns. He played a key role in their run-up to successive Premier League titles.
According to the report, Frank Lampard believes he can reignite Stones’ career if he makes a move to the Bridge. A move will also let him cement a spot in England’s spot for next season’s Euros.
Chelsea have endured a defensive nightmare that has stretched across the season. Having brought in attacking reinforcements, they cannot afford to ignore the defence.
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Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Timori all face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge.
Stones fits the bill of an experienced defender with 162 appearances in the Premier League. The Englishman is certainly a proven commodity who does not need time to adapt to the league.
Signing the former Evertonian could prove to be a masterstroke for both the club and the player.