John Stones: Premier League club ‘monitoring’ Man City defender as contract decision is made

Manchester City defender John Stones is set to leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season, according to a report.

The 31-year-old arrived on the blue side of Manchester almost a decade ago and has long been admired for transforming into a pioneering ball-playing centre-back, redefining the defensive role under manager Pep Guardiola.

Known for his technical elegance, composure and ability to operate in midfield when needed, Stones played a crucial role in helping Man City win their first Champions League trophy during their historic treble-winning season in 2022-23.

The England international is a six-time Premier League champion with the Citizens and has won a total of 19 trophies at the club, most recently lifting the EFL Cup at Wembley for a third time last month.

While Stones can look back on his Man City career with immense pride, he could have made a lot more than 292 appearances for the club had he not been plagued by injuries over the years.

Since the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Stones has missed 54 matches for Man City across all competitions due to injury or fitness-related issues, while he has failed to start more than 23 Premier League games in a single season since his debut campaign at the Etihad in 2016-17.

Stones has been limited to just seven Premier League outings (four starts) this term and last made an appearance in England’s top division on December 2.

Stones set to leave Man City and could return to Everton

Currently nursing a fresh injury sustained on international duty with England this week, Stones’s ongoing fitness problems remain a concern and have put his 2026 World Cup hopes in jeopardy.

Man City’s No.5 is out of contract at the end of June, and according to talkSPORT, the defender is not expected to be offered a new deal.

Stones’s former club Everton, who sold the Englishman to City for around £47.5m in 2016, are said to be among the clubs monitoring his situation.

The defender was signed by the Toffees from Barnsley for just £3m under David Moyes in January 2013, but he had to wait until August of that year to make his debut for the club under Roberto Martinez.

Stones went on to play 95 times for Everton and developed into one of the country's most promising players, before making the high-profile switch to Man City.

A return to the Toffees at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium could appeal to Stones, especially if Moyes’s side can secure European football for next season.

Everton - who could also sign Jack Grealish from Man City on a permanent deal this summer - currently sit eighth in the Premier League table and just three points behind rivals Liverpool in fifth spot with seven games remaining.