Would Bruno Martins-Indi prove an ideal replacement for Everton’s John Stones?

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Speculation over the future of Everton’s young England centre-half John Stones has been rife for well over a season. He seemed almost certain at one stage prior to the 2015/16 season to be heading south to Chelsea, before eventually staying on Merseyside with three bids from the Blues and a transfer request from the player himself reportedly turned down.

His current contract at Goodison Park still has three years to run, however following last summer’s saga, Evertonians are bracing themselves for the inevitable exit of the 22-year-old Yorkshireman, and with Manchester City now back in the hunt for the player after the revival of talks with Everton, according to The Sun a transfer may be in the pipe-line as the Merseyside club are reportedly tabling a bid for Porto’s Netherlands international centre-half Bruno Martins-Indi, to fill the void that would be left by Stones.

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New Toffees manager Ronald Koeman is more than familiar with his compatriot from their days together at Sportclub Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie, and may well be setting his sights on the player as a clever replacement. With The Sun adamant that the player sees his future away from the Estadio do Dragao, the £12.5 million bid being readied by Everton may be sufficient for the Portuguese giants to cash in on their man.

At 24 years of age, Martins-Indi is not too much older than Stones, so would prove a smart asset regarding the future of the Everton defence, and his 31 international caps for the Netherlands counts for him having far more experience on the international stage than the potentially outgoing Stones. Koeman in any case is in severe need of defensive additions, with only two other senior centre-backs at the club in Phil Jagielka and Ramiro Funes-Mori.

The seasoned centre-half would be a beneficial acquisition to the Toffees defence, particularly given the form of John Stones in 2015/16. An underachieving Everton stuttered to an 11th-place finish despite Romelu Lukaku netting 25 goals across all competitions, and conceded a staggering 55 goals in 38 games. Moving out the want-away youngster for a more experienced alternative could prove a master-stroke by Koeman, and at £12.5 million, were they to secure the Dutchman at that price, it would cut little into the £50 million return Manchester City are reportedly willing to pay for Stones.

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The defender certainly has a physical presence that the seemingly more athletic and mobile Stones has apparently lacked over the previous season, with the Englishman often appearing lightweight against stronger forwards. Martins-Indi has showcased his talent not only at club level but also at the World Cup in 2014, where he impressed as the Netherlands finished third in the tournament and Porto swooped to sign him shortly after.

His seven league goals across his career also suggest he has a presence to offer in both boxes, and if Lukaku were to depart alongside Stones, Everton would certainly be in need of other members of the team chipping in with goals of their own. He is good in the air and his strength makes up for the pace he lacks in comparison to his English counterpart.

It is the ability to read a game and remain calm, marshalling the back-line, that so often proved Everton’s downfall in key fixtures last season, often conceding late goals due to lapses of concentration or individual errors. Everton’s collapse at home to West Ham, or Stones’ penalty give-away at Goodison against Stoke in two high-scoring affairs last season, are just two examples of this.

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With the added experience of the Dutchman, the ability to see games out would potentially be manifest once more in the Everton defence, which also proved an issue with Stones last season, as he was found wanting in possession when coming forward from defence and gave away key fouls both on club and international duty.

The Dutchman is a very different type of defender compared to his counterpart, but at this point, Martins-Indi would have many important attributes to add to the Everton defence, and it is these qualities which are more vital for the club at this point if their defence and their points return in 2016/17 is to improve. Losing Stones would have its pitfalls, but with experience available at a good age, Bruno Martins-Indi’s plus points may make him the perfect mould to slot into Stones’ place were he to depart Merseyside.

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