‘Stones development thanks to Moyes leaving Everton’
David Moyes leaving Everton was the best thing to happen to John Stones, according to his former team-mate.
Moyes signed Stones from Barnsley in 2013, before becoming Manchester United manager later that year.
The centre-back is now the most expensive English defender of all time having joined Manchester City for £47.5million this summer, and Shane Duffy – now of Brighton – suggests he was only able to flourish under Moyes’ successor, Roberto Martinez.
“I got on well with him [Stones],” Duffy told the Brighton Argus. “He signed and we played a lot in the reserves together.
“You could tell straight away he was a very good player. The best thing for him probably was Moyes leaving. He developed under Martinez into the kind of player he has become, played him at right-back. Moyes wanted more of a defender.
“That’s one of the reasons I had to leave. He was that good and he was obviously ahead of me. There are no hard feelings about that. I hope he goes on to do well.”