John Stones’ contribution to England’s run to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup will be remembered, and not just because of his dressing room dance moves. The 32-year-old was one of Thomas Tuchel’s most trusted players at the tournament, starting crucial matches against Croatia, Norway and Argentina all without a club.
Stones departed Manchester City at the end of last season, bringing to a close a glittering 10-year period at the Etihad Stadium. After starting only five Premier League matches last term, there were questions over the centre back’s ability to perform at the elite level at this advanced stage of his career.
Those questions were answered during the World Cup and several clubs in the Premier League and across Europe were clearly watching. Arsenal and Chelsea were both linked with Stones before Inter Milan emerged as frontrunners to sign the 32-year-old as a free agent in the summer window.
Inter looks like being a good fit for Stones. The England international will fit into the Nerazzurri’s back three alongside Manuel Akanji and Alessandro Bastoni with Stones already familiar with the former having played next to him in the Manchester City defensive line.
Tactically, Stones will slot into a team that plays a different style to the one he became accustomed to over so many years at Manchester City. Inter operate on the rapid counter-attack, gearing their game towards moving forward through the lines as quickly as they can.
Cristian Chivu asks his team to play with a much lower defensive line than Pep Guardiola did over 10 years as Manchester City manager and so Stones will be expected to defend his own penalty area more forcefully. He won’t find himself camped on the halfway line quite so frequently.
This isn’t to say Stones’ natural ability on the ball won’t be utilised. In fact, the Englishman’s technical ability is surely one of the things that attracted Inter who rely on their defenders to construct attacking moves from deep. The addition of Stones will give them better balance as a possession side.
Bastoni is crucial to the way Inter get out from the back as their left-sided centre back and Stones could give the Italian champions a similar quality as the starting figure on the right side of the back three. There is logic behind Inter’s move for the 32-year-old following his exit from City.
A move to Chelsea would have made sense for similar reasons. Xabi Alonso is expected to recycle the Bayer Leverkusen blueprint that worked so well for him in the Bundesliga with the Blues predicted to line up in a back three. Stones would have been a good option for them in the defensive line.
On top of this, Stones would have provided some much-needed experience and leadership in the Stamford Bridge dressing room. Chelsea need mentors for their young players and the former Manchester City defender, and six-times Premier League winner, certainly would have fit the bill in this respect.
Arsenal’s interest was also logical, albeit for slightly different reasons. The Gunners require defensive depth with William Saliba expected to miss the start of the new season through injury and Stones would have been an economical addition for the Premier League champions to make.
One wonders if Manchester City made a hasty decision to move on Stones when the 32-year-old could have helped bridge the gap to the next generation for the Etihad Stadium outfit. Enzo Maresca will need players he can count on to hit the ground running as Guardiola’s successor and Stones is reliable.
Of course, Stones’ recent fitness record can’t be ignored. The defender missed a large portion of last season through injury. Three different injuries, in fact. First it was a muscle injury. Then a thigh problem followed by a calf strain. It was almost impossible for Stones to build any sort of consistency or momentum.
This was reflected in the way Tuchel used Stones at the World Cup. The England manager had to be careful in how he deployed the 32-year-old, taking him out of the lineup for the matches against Ghana, Panama and DR Congo. By the latter rounds, though, Stones was ready to go.
At 32, Stones could still enjoy a successful final phase of his career. His reading of the game is sharp enough to sustain him at the top level for years to come. Stones also has the technical ability to mask some of his fading physicality, especially in Serie A where the pace of play is sometimes slower. The World Cup might have offered a hint of what more is to come.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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