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John Stones is wanted by Chelsea this summer – but the Blues won’t have it all their own way, as Arsenal join the race.
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We’ve been reporting today on increasing Chelsea interest in John Stones (formerly of Manchester City), and a new report from TeamTalk adds further information to the rumours.
They claim that Chelsea are indeed keen on snapping up the newly free agent, but the Blues fave some serious competition.
Arsenal are also interested in the experienced England international, and have a “slight edge” in the race to sign him. The Gunners have lost William Saliba to a long term back issue, and are looking for reinforcements who can contribute right away, without requiring a huge long term investment.
Arsenal provide tempting destination for Stones to keep winning
John Stones of England during the FIFA World Cup 2026
John Stones (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Chelsea can probably still win this race just by offering more money – but there’s no denying that Arsenal provide a potentially perfect match for Stones given their respective situations.
He gets to keep playing at the top level and competing for the top trophies, while they get short term cover for their elite defender who is out injured – without a major commitment on transfer fee or a long term contract. It will be very interesting to see what Stones’ priorities are for his next move.
In other news…
Whether it’s Stones or not, Chelsea are getting serious about signing a new defender, and there have been meetings in New York between ownerships about one in particular.
Alex Scott is a player who Chelsea want – but right now Bournemouth aren’t letting anyone get near him as they aim to secure him on a new contract.
John Stones
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Maxence Lacroix trains.John Stones of England walks out the tunnel to inspect the pitch before the FIFA World Cup 2026