Aston Villa told John Stones transfer 'makes sense' by man who took defender to Everton

Aston Villa could swoop in to sign John Stones on a free transfer this summer, says a former scout.

The Villans are set to be in the market for multiple fresh faces as they prepare for the Champions League.

After winning the Europa League, changes are likely to be in the pipeline as Unai Emery assesses his squad.

Finances are still going to be tight, as has become typical in B6, so boxing clever is going to be paramount.

That could see the claret and blue outfit turn to free agents to improve their side.

Stones is available for nothing after leaving Manchester City and could prove to be a Villa target after featuring for England.

Aston Villa get perfect John Stones case study ahead of free transfer

The 32-year-old waved goodbye to the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the Premier League campaign.

Villa helped to give him a guard of honour after his 78th minute substitution, and he has since jetted to the World Cup.

The defender started the opening game of the tournament alongside Ezri Konsa in the 4-2 win against Croatia.

That has given the B6 outfit an early insight into how their backline could look if they were to sign Stones.

Former scout Bryan King took the centre-back to Everton from Barnsley in 2013 and believes he will be of interest to the Villans this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Villa News, King said: "Stones is out of contract at the end of the month, so it would certainly make sense on a free transfer.

"I think it could be a good be a good pairing with him and Konsa. It would be a sensible move because they complimented each other for England against Croatia the other night.

"If I were Villa, I would certainly be looking at it because getting a player with his experience and ability, there's not many of those players about, especially on a free transfer."

How did Stones and Ezri Konsa perform together for England?

There was an element of surprise when Thomas Tuchel opted to start with Stones and Konsa, with Marc Guehi on the bench.

That wasn't helped by a shaky start, but the duo certainly grew into the game in Dallas.

They won a combined seven duels on the day and chipped in with eight recoveries at the back.

What they are better known for is their ability with the ball at their feet as they completed 129 passes.

Konsa kept up a 94 per cent accuracy while Stones completed 95 per cent of his attempts, which would be perfect for an Emery system.

If Villa could go on to sign Stones, there is already proof there that he would be a useful partner for the 28-year-old moving into the new campaign.