Sunderland favourites to cough up £2m for Barnsley right back Stones as O'Neill hopes to spend his way out of trouble

By Thom Drake

Published: 05:35 EDT, 16 January 2013 | Updated: 07:27 EDT, 16 January 2013

Sunderland are ready to make a £2million bid for Barnsley right back John Stones, who has also attracted interest from Wigan, Everton, Fulham and Chelsea.

Martin O'Neill has declared his wish to sign the home-grown defender but doesn't want to pay up the £3million Barnsley are hoping for, according to The Mirror.

At just 18, and already 6"2, Stones may want first team football, which leaves the door open for Sunderland loaning him back to the Yorkshire club for the rest of the season.

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Fulham have had a bid of around £1.5million rejected already in the transfer window as as they refused any chance of giving him back to the Championship side until the end of the campaign.

If O'Neill was able to capture Stones, who has been in the Barnsley first team since March last year, it would be his third signing of the transfer window so far.

Sunderland have already announced two new players: midfielder Alfred N'Diaye from Bursaspor and defender Kader Mangane from Al Hilal on loan.

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