Everton central defender Michael Keane may have silenced some of his critics in recent weeks with his performances in the last two Premier League games.
The English titan scored against Ipswich Town on Saturday and has helped the team to keep back-to-back clean sheets, against the Tractor Boys and Newcastle United.
His resurgence has been a welcome sight for the Toffees as Jarrad Branthwaite has endured an injury-hit start to the campaign, with one appearance in the Premier League so far.
Sean Dyche has not had the chance to select the England international on a regular basis so far this season, which is particularly frustrating after the club fought so hard to keep hold of him during the summer transfer window.
Manchester United heavily pursued a deal to bring the left-footed centre-back to Old Trafford, as they had two bids turned down for his services.
The BBC reported that Everton turned down an offer of £35m for the Englishman before rejecting an improved bid of £45m from Erik ten Hag’s side, as it did not meet their valuation of the defender.
Branthwaite would have become one of the most expensive sales in the club’s history if they had cashed in for £45m, which shows how desperate they were to keep him.
Everton's most expensive sales
The Toffees have developed and sold a host of impressive young stars over the years and raked in a huge amount of money from cashing in on them.
The £45m that Manchester United offered for Branthwaite would, as per Transfermarkt, have made him the fifth-most expensive sale in the club’s history.
However, it would not have made him the most expensive departure of the summer transfer window for Everton, as Amadou Onana completed a big-money switch to Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
Romelu Lukaku
17/18
£70m
Manchester United
Amadou Onana
24/25
£49m
Aston Villa
Richarlison
22/23
£48m
Tottenham Hotspur
John Stones
16/17
£46m
Manchester City
Anthony Gordon
22/23
£38m
Newcastle United
As you can see in the table above, that move to join up with Unai Emery’s Champions League side made him the second-highest sale behind Romelu Lukaku’s move to Manchester United.
The £45m that the Red Devils had offered for Branthwaite, however, would not have been more than the fee the Toffees raked in for another English centre-back – John Stones, who the club hit the jackpot with.
How much Everton paid for John Stones
In February of 2013, Everton swooped to snap up the central defender from Barnsley for a reported fee of £3m, as the England U19 international had caught their eye during the first half of the season.
He had played 22 matches in the Championship that term and initially linked up with the club’s U21 side, making 12 appearances for the academy during the second half of the 2012/13 campaign.
It did not take long for him to establish himself as a first-team player for Everton, though, as Stones went on to play 21 times in the Premier League in his first full season at Goodison Park.
His best and most consistent season in a Toffees shirt, however, came in the 2015/16 campaign, as he played in 33 of the club’s 38 league matches.
Appearances
33
Pass accuracy
89%
Tackle + interceptions per game
3.1
Ground duel success rate
68%
Aerial duel success rate
64%
As you can see in the table above, Stones was a dominant presence at the back for Everton, winning the vast majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst also being reliable in possession with his passing.
He was 21 at the time and had already been capped at senior level by England, after playing 12 times for the U21s during his time at Goodison Park.
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His sublime form for the Toffees in the Premier League that term, and his emergence for England at international level, convinced Pep Guardiola to swoop for him as one of his first signings in charge of Manchester City in the summer of 2016.
How much Manchester City paid for John Stones
The earlier table showed that Transfermarkt have the fee the Cityzens paid for the central defender at £46m, but that is not inclusive of the add-ons that were agreed as part of the deal.
Sky Sports reported at the time that the deal would rise to £50m with add-ons, which meant that Everton made a colossal profit of 1,567% on the £3m that they paid Barnsley for his services in 2013.
This shows that the Toffees hit the jackpot with the Rolls-Royce of a defender, as they made £47m profit within the space of just three-and-a-half years.
As you can see in the graphic above, Stones’ value has fluctuated throughout his time at The Etihad, as he has struggled with injuries at times, but there is no doubt that he has gone on to have a fantastic career since leaving Everton.
The England international has reached two European Championship finals with his country, won six Premier League titles, and lifted the Champions League with Manchester City.
Stones was described as “world-class” by England teammate and Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa earlier this year and was once hailed as “world-class” and a “freak”, due to his defensive quality, mobility, and passing range, by ex-Fulham boss Scott Parker.
This shows that players and managers alike are in awe of his quality on the pitch as a centre-back, hence why he is in his eighth season with City and has made 264 appearances for the club in all competitions.
In fact, Stones – now 30 – provided a timely reminder of his quality by scoring a 95th-minute winner for the Cityzens in their 2-1 win over Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday.
Overall, all parties should be pleased with how his career has gone. Everton made a huge profit and City gained a player who has helped them to dominate the Premier League over the past eight seasons.
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