Ordinarily, we would not comment on matters of speculation, but the article on the Mirror website carries the headline, “David Moyes reveals Everton paid just £1.25million to sign John Stones from Barnsley.”
The amount paid by Everton to Barnsley is Commercial in Confidence, and we would have expected that David Moyes would be bound by that obligation of confidentiality to his former employer.
However, given the categoric nature of the assertion made, it is incumbent on Barnsley FC to correct such a statement when it is markedly and unequivocally wrong and yet is made by someone that the public might think is authoritative on the subject.
This is particularly the case since he has cited the same erroneous fee on previous occasions also. David Moyes played no part in any negotiation with Barnsley FC concerning the transfer of John Stones, which may explain why he is mistaken as to the fee paid.