Manchester City will bid farewell to John Stones this summer but they are in good shape at the back
John Stones of Manchester City celebrates during the Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Southampton
John Stones will depart Manchester City this summer and the Blues have ready-made replacements lined up
View Image
John Stones has done it all at Manchester City. A Treble winner, a six-time Premier League champion and a player who redefined a position with his ability to step from defence into midfield.
He was sensational as City beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final in 2023 and has had countless high points during his trophy-laden decade with the Blues. His City career will come to an end this summer with the 31-year-old to depart the Etihad.
Given his obvious quality, his experience and his leadership skills he should be a huge miss. But City have already pieced together a backline capable of coping without the England international.
Stones has featured sporadically this term due to injuries and while he has played a big role behind the scenes in helping and advising team-mates, and offering a wise head to young prospects coming through, on the pitch City have moved on.
A fully-fit and fully-firing Stones would be an asset to any side but it's been a couple of years since the centre back has been in that place. City can't and couldn't wait.
In January they swooped to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, a ready-made top Premier League talent who has stepped seamlessly into the team and brings leadership having captained the Eagles prior to his move to the Etihad. Abdukodir Khusanov, signed a year earlier than Guehi, has blossomed into one of the finest young centre halves in the Premier League this season and the pair have formed an effective partnership in recent weeks.
Ruben Dias, captain in waiting, is currently sidelined, as is Josko Gvardiol, who has been a consistent performer since joining City in 2023 and will be fit for the start of next season. With that quartet Pep Guardiola has four players battling for two positions, providing the strength in depth required to compete on multiple fronts.
And that doesn't account for Nathan Ake, who started the Carabao Cup final and has shown he can still cut it at the highest level But the Dutchman is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract and the expectation is that he will follow Stones out of the building.
City will want a fifth centre back and could easily look from within. Max Alleyne, 20, was recalled from a loan spell at Championship side Watford in January and parachuted straight into the team. He showed plenty of promise and would be a viable option for the first team squad next season, as would fellow Academy graduate Stephen Mfuni who departed for Watford on loan when Alleyne was recalled. Injury curtailed his campaign but the 18-year-old is highly regarded at City and could make the step up.
The Blues also have Vitor Reis, signed for nearly £30million in January 2025. The 20-year-old is on loan at Spanish side Girona this term and has delivered an impressive campaign. The Brazilian intends to return to City in the summer to stake his claim for regular minutes but may well find himself out on loan again given the options in front of him at the Etihad.
Fellow 20-year-old Juma Bah, currently on loan at Nice in France, is another option for the Blues while Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, also 20, has broken into the Cologne side during his loan spell in Germany during the second half of this season, while 18-year-old Kaden Braithwaite has already made his City debut and is currently captaining an Under-18s side chasing FA Youth Cup and Premier League glory.