Report: Rafa Benitez wants Man City defender John Stones at Newcastle if he becomes manager

Newcastle United could move for Manchester City defender John Stones this summer as the club looks to invest in new players following their takeover.

With the new Saudi-led consortium almost in full control of the club, transfer talk is hotting up in the northeast.

And according to the Telegraph, Stones is one of the club’s main targets – if Rafa Benitez takes over as manager.

Benitez is being widely tipped to be offered the job at St James’ Park, even though Steve Bruce has more or less led the club to Premier League safety.

Along with Ross Barkley, it is claimed Benitez wants the Magpies to sign Stones, too. Both players have, as yet, failed to live up to their massive potential at their respective clubs.

Stones, in particular, has been challenged by Pep Guardiola on more than one occasion. The Spaniard insisted previously that Stones needed to play regularly and improve if he was to maximise his ability.

Man City paid just shy of £50m for Stones back in 2016. (BBC)

Stones is a class act and is another who could have a point to prove – TBR View

In signing John Stones, Newcastle would be getting a player with big talent. Stones has already been linked with a move to Newcastle a few weeks back, and some Newcastle fans appeared open to the signing at the time.

Furthermore, the England man has also drawn high praise in the past from Graeme Souness. The former Newcastle boss once insisted Stones could be as good as Virgil van Dijk.

“I think, if he got his act together and made his decision-making better, we would be talking about him in the same breath as Van Dijk. He has got those sorts of qualities,” Souness said. (MEN)

Newcastle, then, would be laughing if Stones got near the Liverpool man’s level.

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