Rio Ferdinand has suggested signing John Stones this summer could transform Everton’s style of play.
There remain a lot of questions over what direction Everton are going to take in this summer’s transfer window.
David Moyes has shown his strong belief in adding experienced players, with a serious lack of trust in the younger options on Merseyside.
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Stones is a player of interest to Everton, with his signing believed to hold the opportunity to improve Everton’s style of play under the 63-year-old.
Rio Ferdinand gives Everton another reason to sign John Stones
Stones has a lot of interest in his services after confirming his departure from Manchester City as a free agent.
Concerns over his fitness levels are real, though, with Stones’ injury record leaving a lot to be desired.
Speaking on the Rio Presents YouTube channel, Ferdinand has shared exactly what the veteran defender will bring to any side he plays in.
“If you want to keep the ball start John Stones,” said Ferdinand.
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“He’s a manipulator of the ball. He starts things. He’s confident on the ball. He’s a absolutely like top drawer ball-playing centre-back and he has that experience of doing that.”
The English media were very impressed with Stones’ display against Costa Rica on Wednesday evening.
Stones played over an hour of football and completed 98% of his 50 attempted passes in Orlando.
After all, this is a player who has huge Premier League and international experience under his belt following a decade at the Etihad Stadium.
Moyes is keen to improve Everton’s style of play, with the likes of Tim Iroegbunam’s future also coming under pressure due to his struggles on the ball.
Everton ended the 2025/26 campaign as the club with the fourth-lowest (43.5%) average possession stats in the Premier League.
The key to that is naturally going to be having players like Stones who are capable on the ball.
| 2025/26 pass accuracy | Total |
| John Stones | 93% |
| James Tarkowski | 81% |
| Michael Keane | 85% |
Currently, Everton’s defensive pairing of James Tarkowski and Michael Keane simply do not hold anywhere near the same level of ability on the ball as Stones.
His injury past may be a concern, but this is a player who could take Everton’s control on the ball up another level.
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