Overview
- Stones will leave Manchester City at the end of his contract and will be available on a free transfer.
- Everton have held internal discussions about a possible return but have not made a formal offer and remain undecided.
- Insiders are split: Bryan King, a Moyes ally, publicly backed a reunion while former scout Mick Brown warned clubs about Stones' recent availability problems.
- Stones made just 18 appearances last season and carries a history of thigh, hamstring and knee issues that clubs say must be cleared in medical checks.
- Any move would require Everton to reconcile his City-level wages and adaptation from a possession system with Moyes' needs, and the club is likely to wait for post-World Cup clarity and medical reports before acting.