Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on John Stones, Julian Draxler Rumours

Manchester City reportedly believe they'll beat Manchester United and Chelsea to Everton starlet John Stones, while new Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho is said to be eyeing Wolfsburg star Julian Draxler if a move for Borussia Dortmund's Henrikh Mkhitaryan falls through.

According to the Sun on Sunday (h/t Daily Mirror's Liam Corless), City manager Pep Guardiola is confident Stones will spurn both United and Chelsea in order to make the move to the Etihad Stadium.

Mourinho's interest in Stones is well-known, as he failed to sign the England international despite several attempts during his time with Chelsea. The Portuguese manager will reportedly once again chase the 22-year-old, but after the signing of Eric Bailly, the position is no longer a clear need.

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The Citizens missed out on one of their top targets last month, as Athletic Bilbao star Aymeric Laporte signed a new long-term contract that pushed his release clause north of £50 million, per Samuel Stevens of The Independent.

City are expected to invest in another young centre-back instead, and Stones sits near the top of the club's wish list.

Everton have so far refused to entertain any offers for one of their top stars, however, and MailOnline's Kieran Gil thinks there are plenty of reasons for him to stay with the Toffees for now:

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Last season, Stones made 33 appearances in the Premier League and started 31 of them. The season before he appeared 23 times and started them all.

He will get games for Everton. A chance to progress, to develop, to improve. (Ronald) Koeman played in his position and will have a soft spot for a player who wants to be like him, no doubt.

At Everton in three seasons under Martinez, the statistics say his passing accuracy got worse, which is criminal for a youngster with his ability.

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Stones broke out in a big way during the 2014-15 Premier League season, establishing himself as one of the top young defensive prospects in the world. Last summer's transfer speculation and the eventual offers from Chelsea only added to the pressure, and pundits were interested to see how the England international would cope with the spotlight.

His 2015-16 campaign was a lot less impressive, and he's been usurped by Chelsea's Gary Cahill in England's UEFA Euro 2016 starting XI as a result. While he still profiles as a star talent, it's clear Stones has some way to go to unlock his potential.

Convincing Everton to sell won't be easy, although Bleacher Report's Dean Jones reported the Toffees will budge if the offer is too good to refuse:

At the Etihad, Stones would likely play second fiddle to captain Vincent Kompany and star defender Nicolas Otamendi at first, although Guardiola has shown a willingness to play young talent over established veterans if he believes they're a better option.

He'd likely face a similar situation at Old Trafford, where Chris Smalling is a lock to start and new signing Bailly wasn't brought in to sit on the bench.

Meanwhile, Steve Bates of the Sunday People (h/t Corless) reported Mourinho will “turn to Draxler” if Dortmund refuse to sell Mkhitaryan before the end of the summer transfer window.

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The Armenian has just one year left on his deal and has made it clear he wants to move to United, but Die Schwartzgelben have so far refused to cooperate. While he still seems likely to join before the window shuts, Mourinho is said to be working on a back-up plan as well.

Germany international Draxler only moved to Wolfsburg last year from Schalke 04, and a transfer for the 22-year-old could prove just as difficult as the ongoing battle for Mkhitaryan. Here's a look at some of his highlights:

The report cited a fee of £38 million, which seems fair value for a young star who has already shown his value in the Bundesliga and has long been touted as one of the top talents at his position. The attacking midfielder has played a big role in Germany's Euro 2016 bid so far―an impressive achievement for such a youngster.

Injuries have held him back in the past, and it's important to note those followed him to Wolfsburg―he started just 19 Bundesliga matches last year, per WhoScored.com. But when he's healthy, he's one of the most versatile and complete attacking midfielders in Europe, and he would undoubtedly be a great addition for United.

Mkhitaryan remains the priority, however. While the Dortmund man is older than Draxler, he's also more established, has a cleaner injury history, enjoyed the more productive season and should be cheaper, as he has just one year left on his current contract.

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