Manchester City’s John Stones is already looking towards the summer transfer window, when the England international could be available on a free switch.
With the defender into the final months of his contract, uncertainty continues to grow around his long-term future, with Pep Guardiola making clear that decisions on the 31-year-old will largely be shaped by how the remainder of the season unfolds, particularly in terms of fitness.
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While his importance during the Treble-winning campaign of 2022/23 remains unquestioned, the repeated injury issues that have followed have made any contract extension far from straightforward and the club’s completion of a deal for Marc Guehi this week suggests forward-planning is well underway.
Comments from Guardiola have also reinforced that City’s hierarchy will assess Stones’ case towards the end of the season, although that approach has naturally encouraged representatives of the defender to explore contingency plans away from Manchester.
John Stones finds himself in a delicate position, as he continues to balance loyalty to the club where he has enjoyed immense success with the practical need to secure stability and regular football at this stage of his career.
And according to the information of TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, Stones’ camp are ‘already working hard’ on potential moves ahead of the summer, with the 31-year-old open to a move abroad amid interest from a number of foreign sides.
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Italian sides AC Milan, Napoli and Como have all been spoken to, according to the report, whilst Atletico Madrid are also said to have been in contact, and Vincent Kompany is open to the idea Stones could provide Bayern Munich with some high-profile competition.
Further afield, the report points out that there is also the option of Saudi Pro League and MLS, after officials from both leagues made their interest known, and perhaps unsurprisingly more than six Premier League clubs would be open to a possible deal, including Everton.
The scale of interest highlights how highly Stones is still regarded across European football despite injury struggles, with clubs perhaps viewing him as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity given his free-agent status, Champions League pedigree, and tactical intelligence.
From Manchester City’s perspective, should Stones manage to finish the season strongly and prove fitness, they could yet move to open discussions over a short-term extension. However, the more likely scenario given Marc Guehi’s arrival is a natural succession plan.
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A move abroad could offer John Stones a fresh challenge, different playing rhythm, and potentially less physically demanding schedules than the Premier League, while Saudi Arabia and MLS would likely bring about a lucrative financial opportunity.
For now, John Stones and Manchester City remain firmly focussed on the task at hand in recovering the England international back to full fitness, to potentially play a part in the business phase of the campaign as the FIFA World Cup also approaches for the player.
