Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man City ‘to bid £100m’ for Stones and Bonucci

It was roughly this time last year when John Stones slammed in a transfer request at Everton, resulting in boos from the fans, repeated unsuccessful bids from Chelsea and - ultimately - no transfer, so he would have been understandably sheepish about doing the same thing this summer. But, according to the Daily Mail, he has. Just in a slightly less dramatic way.

The paper reports that Stones has “informed Everton” of his desire to join Manchester City, which sounds a bit like a transfer request but was presumably made as more of throwaway remark while he was eating a packet of crisps, as opposed to a formal demand in writing.

Although the defender’s stock has undoubtedly fallen since last summer, when Roberto Martinez repeatedly claimed that Stones was the best defender in this universe and all others, it hasn’t stopped Everton putting a £50m price tag on his head. It is Man City, after all.

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman has evidently already started making plans for that windfall, with the Mail adding that the Dutchman is considering Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann and Porto’s Bruno Martins Indi as replacements for Stones, if money can buy him.

City are also hoping that money - lots of it - can buy them Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci as a partner/minder for Stones. The Guardian says Pep Guardiola is ready to offer £51m to land the Italian, which he is hoping is a sum too ridiculous for Juve to turn down for a 29-year-old defender.

But maybe the Serie A champions won’t want or need any more money if they accept the £100m Manchester United have offered them for Paul Pogba, according to the Mirror. In the same story, it is revealed that Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s late father was named Hamlet, which is excellent.

West Ham’s increasingly desperate search for a striker has led them to 32-year-old former Hammers hero Carlos Tevez, as claimed by chairman David Sullivan in the Mail. However, the Argentine is said to have turned down an offer of £150,000 a week to be the club’s main striker because he wanted £250,000 a week. Fair enough.

Therefore, the Irons’ desperate search has got so desperate that they are ready to “hijack” Crystal Palace’s £30m move for Christian Benteke, or so say the Sun. “He’s not at the top of our list,” remarks a “Hammers source”. He will be soon when he’s the only player left on it though.

Elsewhere, Middlesbrough are considering a move for Fenerbahce reject Robin van Persie (Mail), Bournemouth have made a £15m offer for Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe (Sun) and Tottenham have been quoted £25m to sign Newcastle’s Georginio Wijnaldum, whose value has evidently rocketed since last summer despite him helping the Magpies get relegated (Mirror).