Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on John Stones and Marc Bartra Rumours

Barcelona are reportedly ready to start the bidding at £25 million in pursuit of Everton centre-back John Stones, with a clutch of clubs said to be interested in the 22-year-old.

That's according to Simon Jones of the Mail on Sunday, who stated the Spanish champions have turned their attentions to Stones after giving up on Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos. Manchester United and Manchester City are also said to be interested in the centre-back, who has been tipped for a bright future in the game despite a testing 2015-16.

While the Blaugrana are said to be ready to make the first move, Jones noted that Everton value their defender at £45 million, meaning an initial offer is unlikely to trigger a sale.

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It’s easy to see why Stones would be on Barcelona’s radar. While there have been question marks about some defensive facets of his game, where he excels is in coming out from the back with the ball, picking passes into midfield and getting attacks going. For the way in which the Blaugrana play, he’d potentially be a perfect presence in the back line.

Under the guidance of former Everton boss Roberto Martinez, there were some hairy moments for the player, as the Toffees opted for a cavalier brand of football. The Liverpool Echo’s Tony Scott noted a difference in Stones’ play in a more balanced England team:

For Everton and the player, Barcelona would surely be the preferred destination. The Toffees will not want to sell to another Premier League club, especially not a team from Manchester, while Stones would also surely jump at the chance of playing for the La Liga giants, who are currently among the best teams on the planet.

At the moment, Barca have five capable centre-backs on their books, and it means that a player would have to be moved on to accommodate the purchase of Stones. Marc Bartra looks the man most likely to depart at this juncture, having spoken out about his future.

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As stated by Sport, the player is said to have a release clause in his contract that’d allow him to move for a meagre €8 million, something that has reportedly been confirmed by the 25-year-old. Bartra, speaking at a press conference on international duty, also said he was “calm” when it comes to his future, something that is “in the hands of my agent and Carles Puyol.”

The previous season was a hugely frustrating one for the defender, something summed up recently by ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan:

"

Would be kinda fitting if travelling with squad but watching game in suit in the stands was Marc Bartra's last action as Barca player...

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) May 22, 2016"

In La Liga he played just 496 minutes in total, starting a meagre four games. For a footballer who was once tipped to go to the very top, playing time has been alarmingly scarce, and while he’ll always have an affection for the Catalan club, surely the time is right for Bartra to sample a new challenge next season.

After all, at his best he’s a very capable defender. Here is a look at what any potential suitors could be getting:

For a sum so small, you can bet there will be a long list of clubs interested in the Barcelona man. Bartra is a calm distributor and a capable reader of the game, possessing enough talent to improve a lot of teams in the upper reaches of European football.

The Blaugrana faithful will be disappointed that he hasn’t come through and cemented his spot in the side like so many La Masia graduates have done in the past at this club. But Bartra has become a peripheral figure at the Camp Nou and will surely recognise the need for a transfer.