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Man City backed to complete deal which could ruin Man Utd transfer plans
MANCHESTER CITY should sell John Stones this summer for whatever money they can get for him.
John Stones 'hasn't lived up to expectation' says pundit
That is the opinion of ESPN FC pundit and former West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
Stones started 20 Premier League games for Manchester City last season but fell out of favour towards the end of the campaign.
The centre-back has not quite been able to live up to the £50million he cost City from Everton back in 2016.
City have already lost one defender this summer, with captain Vincent Kompany choosing the leave at the end of last season to become player-manager at Anderlecht.
He no longer features in your plans. Whatever you get for him, you take
They have been linked with a move for Leicester and England defender Harry Maguire.
Maguire is also a target for local rivals Manchester United, with the Red Devils having a bid turned of £70m turned down last week.
Selling Stones would only leave Nicolas Otamendi, Aymeric Laporte and Eliaquim Mangala as the recognised central defenders in the City first-team squad.
But Hislop believes time is right for Stones’ spell at City to come to an end.
That could then spark City into action to try and beat United to Maguire’s signature.
“Yeah, this is a hit,” Hislop said of Stones leaving.
“I don’t think that needs any and of explanation in all honesty.
“He just hasn’t lived up to expectation.
“He no longer features in your plans.
“Whatever you get for him, you take.”
Stones has made 109 appearances for City in all competitions, scoring five goals.