Manchester City set to land Everton and England centre-back John Stones after bidding £53million
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EVERTON defender John Stones is on the verge of a record-breaking £53million deal with Manchester City.
New Etihad boss Pep Guardiola has dug deep into his wallet once more in a bid to land the most sought-after defender in the Premier League.
The move would make Stones the most expensive defender in history - with former Chelsea man David Luiz currently holding that honour after his £50m move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2014.
The Everton man - who has ten England caps under his belt, despite not featuring at all during England's shocking display at Euro 2016 - would become Guardiola's third summer signing.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has already landed former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and Celta Vigo striker Nolito this summer.
And now it looks like Pep's revolution will have an effect on the defensive end too.
With City's defense looking vulnerable last season - particularly following the repeated injuries to Vincent Kompany - Guardiola is keen to bolster the back line.
Stones would appear to be the future for City, as at only 22-years-old, he could marshal the back line for the two-time Premier League champions for the next decade.
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The Toffees man was fervently pursued by Chelsea last summer, with Jose Mourinho having THREE bids for the former Barnsley man turned down.
However, City may face competition from their cross-town rivals Manchester United, with the Special One still keen to land his target, even twelve months on and at a different club.
At this stage, it would appear Stones is favouring a move to link up with Guardiola, and the defender has already made contact with new Everton boss Ronald Koeman stating his desire to move.
The move is expected to go through later this week.