John Stones has moved to shut down speculation about his future by stating he wants to remain at Manchester City, though serial injuries caused “dark days” that made him consider whether to play on.
The 31-year-old endured another injury-plagued season in 2024-25, managing only 1,134 minutes in all competitions and six Premier League starts. The defender, who signed in summer 2016, has never made more than the 23 league starts for City he made in his opening campaign.
Before facing Al Ain in Sunday’s second Club World Cup group game, Pep Guardiola again said he does not want a “long” squad, meaning he wants to reduce its number. This has caused speculation that due to the checkered injury record Stones, who is out of contract next summer, could leave.
But he said: “I’m here, I want to stay here, I love it. I’m here to help the team, and I don’t know if what’s been said or speculated, but I hope that kind of shuts it down.”
Stones admitted considering if he wanted to continue playing. “Yeah, there’s been points where you think, you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life, especially how I approach or go about my life, and football, I give everything, on and off the pitch to be here or be ready to play games and [there] are the dark days,” he said. “Everyone’s been through them and think: ‘why is this happening?’
“You wish it would have gone a different path. All of us have been through different upbringings and challenges through life and what did we do within those situations, was it fight or was it give up? I was a fighter from a young age, in difficult moments, you have to look at the bigger picture and realise what are your morals, what you believe in, and fight to make it worthwhile.”
Stones is not yet match-fit to face Al Ain at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “I feel great and I’m excited to get going,” he said. “It’s difficult when you’re injured, you almost work longer and more, so from that aspect I know the guys mentally and physically have had such a long season, [but] I suppose mentally for me it’s been difficult dealing with the injuries and the process.
“Now I’ve put that behind me and will use this as a mini-introduction back before the new season and another trophy for us to hopefully win and get some game-time.”
Stones is unsure why there have been so many physical set-backs. “I don’t know what the reason is, and we’ve sat with the medical staff, sports science, to try and figure out why,” he said. “Some things can’t be explained. Which is even more testing mentally when there’s not really an answer.
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“I’ve been unlucky with some of the injuries that I’ve had, they were very rare last season, after speaking to specialists. Sometimes I think, why has it happened to me? But I’ve got to deal with that and move forward and try to adapt with how my body’s adapting.
“I’ve been back in training a few weeks now, and that’s been going great, trying to do extra running if I need to, if I need to try and get those levels up. Just those little, really small details have made such a big difference.”
If City win they qualify for the last 16.
