Sports Weekly All-Media Original
Manchester City released an official announcement confirming that the 31-year-old England center back Stones will leave the team when his contract expires this summer.
Manchester City wrote in the official announcement:
John Stones will leave Manchester City this summer, ending an unforgettable and hugely successful decade-long spell with the club.
Stones joined Manchester City in 2016, and the following year the England centre-back became Pep Guardiola's second signing at City. Since then, he has played 293 games for the team and contributed to the team for a glorious decade.
During the longest and most successful period in the club's history, Stones has made great contributions. Stones has already helped Manchester City win 19 key trophies, including 6 Premier League trophies, 1 Champions League trophy, 2 FA Cup trophies, 5 League Cup trophies, 3 Community Shield trophies, 1 Club World Cup trophy and 1 European Super Cup trophy.
While playing for Manchester City, Stones also contributed 19 goals and 9 assists. Given that Manchester City is still competing for championships in the Premier League and FA Cup, it is possible that he will win more trophies.
Stones has superb skills, excellent passing performance, high level of commitment, and keen interpretation of the game. In many ways, he is exactly the embodiment of the Manchester City team led by Guardiola.
With his talent and tactical flexibility, Stones often played a variety of roles in the later stages of his Manchester City career. He can also serve as a midfielder and play a great role. The 2023 Champions League final is a prominent example.
In 2016, Stones joined Manchester City and quickly firmly occupied the position of Manchester City's main central defender. As a central defender, Stones has a broad vision and excellent footwork. In terms of technology, this is quite consistent with Guardiola's requirements for central defenders. It is precisely because of this trait that Stones has moved forward and often served as a defensive midfielder for a period of time to participate in offensive organization.
In recent seasons, due to injuries and various reasons, Stones' appearances have gradually decreased. According to news from the Italian media, Stones' agent has recommended the player to three Serie A clubs: Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan. The possibility of the English central defender joining Juventus seems to be higher. It is reported that Stones expects Juventus to offer a two-year contract with a one-year extension clause. In addition, there are also other Premier League teams interested in Stones.