Arsenal are keen on holding talks with Manchester City ace John Stones over a potential move to the Emirates Stadium, according to Eurosport.
Stones is thought to have many other suitors including the Gunners’ rivals Tottenham Hotspur, though it is thought that the ace was offered to Chelsea in the summer.
The England international has fallen down the pecking order in recent seasons under Pep Guardiola and the £22.5m-rated defender has only made two league appearances this year.
Should Arsenal complete the signing of John Stones?
Yes
No
I’m not sure going from liabilities like David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi to John Stones would help improve the side’s defence. The last thing Mikel Arteta needs in defence is a clown who makes far too many mistakes. His mistakes are one of the reasons he has fallen down the pecking order at City.
As a matter of fact, he proved so unreliable, Guardiola felt it was suitable to go splash over £100m on a new pair of centre-backs in the middle of a global pandemic. If the Englishman isn’t the right man for the club like the Citizens, whose level Arsenal are trying to reach, then how can he be right for the Reds.
Compare Stones to summer signing Gabriel Magalhaes, the Brazilian has averaged more tackles, clearances, interceptions and blocks than the 26-year-old. Arsenal have got their recruitment bang-on with the signing of the former Lille man, making it perfectly right to assume they can find more bargains in the market rather than signing an error-prone defender.
Gabriel looks comfortable on the ball, commanding in the air and at the back and is yet to make a mistake leading to a goal in a Gunners shirt. He represents the sort of business Arsenal should be undertaking in the future windows, not signing someone like John Stones.
In other news, Arsenal are yet to make an official approach for a Championship midfielder.
