Twitter reacts to Everton clinching defender deal
By Alex Taylor
Manchester City have completed the signing of Everton defender John Stones – and there has been a mixed reaction on Twitter.
City announced the deal via Twitter and on their website after Stones signed a six-year deal which will keep him at the club until 2022.
The fee is still undisclosed, but Sky Sports claim that the defender has cost the Manchester side £47.5million.
The cost of the deal, which makes Stones the second most expensive defender ever, formed the basis of many of the comments.
Here are a selection of the Twitter messages:
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
Pep Guardiola will turn John Stones into one of the best centre-backs out there. Already has the talent in abundance. Super signing.
— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) August 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/Rolo__Tomassi/status/762990628053671936
How is John Stones worth 47.5m? Thank god he didn't sign for us. He can't even start for Everton let alone City.
— Callum Jones ???? (@Lt_Quackaloo) August 9, 2016
Made up john stones has gone. He can make the mistakes for city now, he's not worth a carrot but the money will do fine
— Simon russell (@Simonru25130905) August 9, 2016
John stones for 50 mil is madness
— Jack Jack (@jaaaaackimriee_) August 9, 2016
Pep made jerome boateng the best cb in the world, he'll do the same with john stones ????
— kun179 (@city_fan16) August 9, 2016
John Stones, £50m? ???????? Everton must be laughing! #AllHype
— bird. (@BirdsTheWord__) August 9, 2016
The fee is comfortably a new record either incoming or outgoing for the Merseyside club.
The highest sum Everton have received was £27million when Maroanne Fellaini joined Manchester United in 2013, while their record outlay is the £28million spent to entice Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea 12 months later.
Stones showed flashes of potential throughout a tumultuous season for Everton in 2015-16, playing in 41 games in all competitions, but he did not figure for England at Euro 2016 after being omitted in favour of Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill.
Toffees fans will hope Everton can sign a replacement now the deal is done, with just two experienced central defenders left at the club in Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes Mori.
In other Everton transfer news, a date has been set for final Everton striker bid to be tabled.