Everton keeper Tim Howard has revealed that he believes teammate John Stones will become a "brilliant" defender when he gains further experience in the Premier League.
The 21-year-old has had an impressive start to his career in the top flight with the Toffees, which has caught the eye of Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who has tried to lure him to Stamford Bridge with two bids that have been rebuffed by Roberto Martinez's club.
Howard feels that Stones has all the attributes needed to become a top-class centre-back, but believes that he needs to develop his skills in the Premier League to reach a truly great level.
"John is a very good player," Howard told Sky Sports News. "As young as he is, he's full of confidence, but he's not arrogant. He's a strong presence which is exactly what you want a central defender to be.
"I think he'll be brilliant, he's got all the qualities but he needs to play another hundred games before you can say how good he's going to be."
Everton face Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Simon Sinclair
