Arsenal have been rumoured to be interested in signing John Stones this summer as they look for options to fix the defensive frailties they have at the back.
David Luiz has been nothing but inconsistent as mistakes have always followed a decent performance, whilst men like Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis have hardly filled Mikel Arteta and the Gunners’ faithful with much confidence, either.
Rob Holding has started to make his way back to action after a serious injury left him on the sidelines for a significant time, whilst William Saliba will arrive a year after the club completed their move for him so there will be question marks over how quickly he can adapt to the intensity that the Premier League provides. Bettors can also get the intensity that they are looking for when they go to the best real money online casinos.
Therefore, it is no surprise that defenders could be the order of the day for the north London outfit (finally), although Stones is not the answer to the equation that they are so desperate to try and solve.
Admittedly, it might not be a surprise that he is rumoured with a switch to the Emirates Stadium as there are a couple of factors that will make the move appealing.
For starters, Arteta and Stones would have worked closely with each other during the pair’s time together at Manchester City, therefore the Spaniard will have unrivalled knowledge about what the England centre-back can provide and what his strengths and weaknesses are.
As such, there is an experience factor that can also be beneficial as the 26-year-old has plenty in regards to playing at the top-level of the football pyramid, and that could bring its own advantages as he may be an ideal partner for the likes for Saliba in the future.
However, there are reasons as to why he appears to have fallen out of favour at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola and why he seems to be available for a transfer.
The Spaniard has used men such as Nicolas Otamendi, Eric Garcia and Fernandinho ahead of Stones, whilst he did not appear to be used much when Aymeric Laporte was out injured, either. The addition of Nathan Ake from AFC Bournemouth will likely only push him further down the pecking order, as well.
With the Brazilian entering the twilight of his career and not exactly a natural centre-back, as Pep appears to gamble with it as bettors who use online casinos nz do as well, questions need to be asked about why the 26-year-old Englishman has been left out and not preferred in his own position.
Of course, another problem that Arsenal could encounter if they were to move for the former Everton defender is whether he will be able to remain fit over the course of an arduous season, which will include European nights as well.
Stones has had his issues in recent memory which has hampered his career and has seen his England opportunities dwindle at times as well, whilst he, much like David Luiz, has a frequency to make a mistake a little far too often for anybody’s liking.
With those things in mind, it might just be best for Arsenal to consider alternative options and decide against making a move for the 26-year-old this summer.
