‘Shuts it down’ – Defender says he probably won’t be joining Everton this summer amid transfer links

Man City defender John Stones has been linked with a return to Everton in the summer transfer window.

John Stones has shut down a potential return to Everton.

 

The defender spent three years at Goodison Park after arriving from Barnsley in 2013. He made 95 appearances before moving to Manchester City for £50 million.

Stones has won six Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time at the Etihad Stadium. However, he has struggled with injury problems in recent seasons. With City aiming to rebuild after finishing third in the league during the 2024-25 season and failing to get their hands on silverware, Stones’ future has been somewhat uncertain.

Stones has been linked with rejoining Everton in the summer transfer window. The Toffees are aiming to strengthen their options after finishing 13th in the Premier League. Stones is a centre-back but is also capable of operating in midfield.

However, the 31-year-old insisted that he does not want to leave City. Speaking during the Club World Cup, Stones said via the Guardian: “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?