John Stones will become a free agent this summer after Manchester City confirmed that the defender will leave upon the expiry of his contract.
The 31-year-old brings the curtain down on a glittering spell at the Etihad, where he established himself as one of the most accomplished defenders of his generation, and it comes as little surprise that several top clubs are already monitoring his situation.
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Bayern Munich have been heavily linked with a move for the England international in recent weeks, although securing his signature may not be as straightforward as initially suggested.
Christian Falk: Are Bayern serious about John Stones?
Stones joined Manchester City from Everton in 2016 for £47.5m, making him one of the most expensive defenders in world football at the time.
The centre-back went on to become a hugely influential figure under Pep Guardiola, winning six Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, two FA Cups, and the Champions League as part of City’s historic treble-winning campaign in 2022-23.
The Daily Mail recently claimed Bayern were considering a surprise move for Stones, which would potentially reunite him with former teammate Vincent Kompany, while he would also link up with England captain Harry Kane in Bavaria.
Christian Falk on John Stones situation
However, Christian Falk has suggested Bayern’s interest should be viewed with caution, insisting the German champions have other priorities before making a move in defence.
The Bild journalist claims Stones is viewed as an interesting market opportunity, particularly given his free-agent status, but Bayern would likely need to offload players before seriously pursuing a deal.
Falk exclusively told CFBayern: “I think the links to John Stones at Man City aren’t the biggest question for Bayern Munich at the moment. The rumours are still there, but Bayern have to first sell players before they can build on the defence. Stones (31) will be a free agent, and though this is an interesting proposition for Bayern, he’s not a young player any more. It could happen, but he’s not the first choice in Munich.”
Stones’ injury record remains a concern, particularly after a frustrating few seasons in which fitness issues have repeatedly disrupted his momentum, limiting him to just four Premier League starts this campaign.
The ball-playing defender previously formed an excellent partnership with Kompany during the Belgian’s playing days at City, which naturally adds intrigue to the speculation, although a romantic return to Everton has also been mentioned as a possibility.
Bayern are hardly short of defensive options either, with Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Kim Min-jae and Hiroki Itoalready available, while Josip Stanisic offers further depth.
Should Kim depart this summer, the situation could evolve, but for now, there appears to have been no concrete approach from Bayern.