Manchester City are reportedly looking to include Wilfried Bony in a deal to sign John Stones from Everton, but need Romelu Lukaku to move on first.
Pep Guardiola’s revolution at the Etihad is gathering pace but he has been forced to continue his search for a central defender after missing out on Aymeric Laporte.
In turn, that has led him back to Stones, and according to The Sun, their latest offer will see them tempt the Toffees with £20m plus Bony in exchange for the England international.
After establishing himself as a dangerous Premier League marksman with Swansea City, it hasn’t quite worked out for Bony since his move to Manchester, as he has scored just six goals in 36 appearances.
In turn, City will have no concern about throwing him into the mix, but it remains to be seen whether Everton boss Ronald Koeman needs him, and for that to be the case the Dutchman will have to give the green light to Lukaku’s move to Manchester United.
As noted by The Sun, United, Chelsea and Juventus have all emerged as options for the Belgian striker this summer, but it’s unclear at this stage who will win the race to sign him.
Given Chelsea’s interest in his international team-mate Michy Batshuayi, it appears as though it could come down to a two-horse race, and if United press ahead with their move, then it will ultimately help City offload Bony and get one of their top targets in Stones.
The 22-year-old is seen as an ideal addition by Guardiola, notably given his defensively solidity but also due to the fact that he is comfortable with the ball at his feet and can play out from the back, an important aspect of Guardiola’s teams in the past.