Javier Mascherano will leave big shoes to fill in the Barcelona starting 11, but Everton’s John Stones has the talent to fill them
When you think of Barcelona it’s hard not to think of their skillful attackers passing the ball about as if it were on a string. Sometimes we forget that Barca’s defenders have the same sort of skill too.
That’s why the La Liga giant are scouring the Earth to find a centre back with the right talents to replace the aging Javier Mascherano. Luis Enrique need look no further than Everton defender John Stones.
The La Liga champions are reportedly weighing up an opening bid of 25 million pounds for the English International. Everton aren’t likely to part with Stones at that price, but it could serve as a beginning to successful negotiations. In the end, it may take a bid almost double that amount to complete the transaction.
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You may be wondering how a central defender from one of the Premier League’s most porous back fours could possibly be good enough for Barcelona. My answer is that Stones is a player who is desperately in need of a new challenge. His career development clearly plateaued in England under Roberto Martinez. A change of scenery would do Stones a world of good.
After all, the deficiencies in his game aren’t of the physical variety. His biggest sins on the pitch occur when he tries to do too much with the ball at his feet. He can certainly be guilty of believing in his dribbling ability too much at times. Quite simply, that’s something that Enrique can coach out of him.
Just think of how much Stones would benefit from a summer of training with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. He’d quickly find out what he can and can’t do against some of the world’s elite attacking talent. It would be a humbling and educational experience for the young Englishman.
From Barcelona’s perspective, they have the chance to buy the rare central defender who has the potential to be Mascherano’s equal with the ball at his feet. The cagey Argentine is known for his amazing ability to spray the ball all over the field. He is often the key to starting the Barcelona attack and Stones is the type of talent that can replicate that at Camp Nou in the future.
It’s easy to get caught up in Stones’ catastrophic errors and lack of good judgment on the pitch. He frustrates fans so much because of the obvious talent he has. It’s natural for fans to have high expectations for Stones because he clearly has the talent to be one of the greatest defenders on the planet.
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Everton fans don’t want to hear it but it’s in John Stones’ best interest to find a new club next season. A move to Barcelona would allow him to test himself against the best competition in the world while providing the La Liga club a natural heir for the legendary Javier Mascherano.