John Stones is 'hopeful' that he will be at Manchester City "a lot longer", with the centre-back dropping a major hint that he wants to sign a new contract with the Premier League champions.
The England international made the move to the Etihad Stadium in 2016, and he has represented the Citizens on 267 occasions in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and registering seven assists in the process.
Stones has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and his contract with the club is due to run until June 2026.
The 30-year-old has scored three times in 10 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side this season, but he has found it difficult to cement a spot in the starting side due to the options available to the manager.
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Stones expresses a desire to remain at Man City
Stones has suggested that he would be open to ending his career at Man City, but it is unclear at this stage whether the club are planning to open talks with him over a new deal.
"From my perspective, this is the club that I love and have been here such a long time now – and hopefully will be for a lot longer. My family are all City fans now – kids, relatives, you name it – and City are a huge part of their lives as well, so I feel privileged to be part of the fabric of this fantastic football club," he told the Man City magazine.
Stones is one of six Man City players with contracts due to expire in 2026, with James McAtee and Stefan Ortega in that category alongside Bernardo Silva, Ederson and Kyle Walker.
Ederson, 31, and Walker, 34, were both linked with departures over the summer, and neither are long-term options for the club, while Bernardo, 30, is still said to be keen to finish his career in either Portugal or Spain.
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Which Man City players are out of contract in 2025?
Ilkay Gundogan only signed a one-year deal with Man City on his return to the club last summer, although the club do have the option to activate a further 12 months to take him until June 2026.
Experienced goalkeeper Scott Carson is also out of contract next summer, but the biggest story surrounds Kevin De Bruyne, with the playmaker only having a contract until the end of the season.
De Bruyne has struggled with injury problems this season, which have restricted him to just six appearances, managing only one goal and one assist during a low-key campaign to date.
The 33-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but a recent report claimed that the Belgian would prefer to join an MLS club if he were to leave the Etihad Stadium next year.
San Diego FC are said to have held discussions with De Bruyne's camp over a potential move, and the experienced attacker is believed to have signalled that he would be open to joining the club if he decides against penning a new Man City contract.
Matt Law
