Man City want Bony for Stones swap – report

Zach Holland

Manchester City are wanting to swap out-of-sorts striker Wilfred Bony for Everton’s John Stones, if the Toffees sell Romelu Lukaku, according to reports.

Stones, 22 has been a target of Pep Guardiola’s over the course of the summer after the new Manchester City boss lost out in their battle to sign Atletico Bilbao centre-back Aymeric Laporte.

Now however, it looks like Guardiola might get his wish as reports in The Sun claim that Bony maybe used in a swap deal to lure Stones to The Etihad.

The reports add that City are now interested in a cash-plus-player deal with Everton over the England international, of fee in the region of £20million plus Bony.

It is also claimed that new Everton boss Ronald Koeman may consider the swap deal if he decides to up and sell in-demand striker Lukaku.

Since signing for City from Swansea in 2015 for a reported fee of £25million, the 27-year-old has struggled to cement a first-team place and hasn’t made a impact as much as he did at Vitesse and Swansea, only scoring six goals in 36 appearances for the Manchester club last term.

It is said that Guardiola doesn’t see Bony in his future plans for City, especially as it seems he maybe on the look out for new striker after being linked with a £60million bid for Borussia Dortmund ace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Koeman’s main priority seems to be keeping hold of Lukaku, who has been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Juventus, but if a potential replacement in Bony is available then the Dutchman may be tempted to sell.