John Stones to Depart Manchester City Next Week

John Stones will officially leave Manchester City upon the expiration of his contract this summer, with an announcement anticipated next week. This mutual decision concludes the 31-year-old's nearly ten-year association with the club, during which he has secured 16 trophies, including six league titles and the prestigious 2023 Champions League.

Despite his success, Stones has faced significant injury challenges in recent seasons, managing to make over 30 appearances in only one of the last five seasons. In the current 2025-26 season, he has started just four Premier League matches under manager Pep Guardiola. With his contract ending, it is expected that several top European clubs will be keen on acquiring the talented centre-back this summer.

Stones, who has been a part of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and earned 87 caps, aims to participate in the upcoming World Cup. Manchester City has bolstered its central defense in recent transfer windows, notably signing Marc Guehi in January and adding Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis the previous year, the latter currently on loan at Girona in La Liga.

Before his time at Manchester City, Stones spent three and a half years at Everton, where he made 95 appearances after joining from Barnsley in January 2013. His departure marks the second free-agent exit from City this summer, following Bernardo Silva, who also concludes his time in Manchester after joining from Monaco in 2017.

There is a palpable sense of sadness surrounding Stones' exit, as many believe he had the potential to achieve even greater heights. His injury struggles have overshadowed his contributions, particularly during the 2022-23 season when he played a pivotal role in City's treble-winning campaign. His versatility allowed him to excel as both a centre-back and a midfielder, crucially supporting the team’s dynamic play while accommodating star striker Erling Haaland.

Stones' elegance and confidence on the ball have distinguished him as a rare talent in his position, yet injuries have limited his appearances in recent seasons. Remarkably, the 2022-23 campaign was the only one in his ten-year tenure at City where he featured consistently during the critical end-of-season matches. In the 2020-21 season, he was integral to the team that reached the Champions League final, despite missing three league games in May due to injury.

While Stones has demonstrated his exceptional abilities throughout his 292 appearances for City, contributing to 16 trophies, many fans and analysts believe he could have achieved even more without the frequent injury setbacks. He is undoubtedly regarded as one of the best centre-backs of the Premier League era, yet there remains a lingering sentiment that he could have been the greatest.