admin John Stones is expected to start a Premier League game for the first time since January when Manchester City face Newcastle later.
The England centre back has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium at the end of season. Pep Guardiola admits he’d like to keep Stones but knows he might want to play regular football elsewhere.
“I’ve said many times, and continue saying, I’m more than delighted with John Stones as a person, as a professional, everything,” the City boss said ahead of tonight’s game.
“What I want is the best for him and at the end of the season we are going to speak about what is going to happen, because sometimes my wish is not the wish of the players, or the wish for the situation of the club.
“I am honest with them and the moment I will feel – not with John but any player – if we have to change we are going to tell them.
“Of course, what we want is, for his future and for ours, for him to come back and play and to be able to train during two, three or four months with no injuries. John has struggled with his injuries.
“But the quality of John is there – never doubt it for one second. It’s just when you don’t play, are injured again, you are rotated and injured again – players are good when they play in a routine, they are confident. You need minutes, playing being fit.
“He must play for himself and focus on what he has to do. Him and anyone will not be judged for bad actions or bad moments.”
Man City defender prepared to remain at club and fight for place – previous interest from several Premier League sides
Manchester City centre-back John Stones is prepared to stay at the Etihad Stadium and fight for his place in Pep Guardiola’s squad, according to the latest reports.
There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the centre-back position throughout the summer transfer window so far, with Nathan Ake’s arrival at the club and the reported pending arrival of Kalidou Koulibaly throwing several names’ futures into doubt. The likes of Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and want away Eric Garcia have all been linked with high-profile exits from the Etihad.
Regarding John Stones, the Telegraph claim that his future lies in Manchester, with the 26-year-old prepared to stay and fight for his place at the club, despite the new arrivals in his position and the pending arrival of €75 million-rated Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
The seemingly forthcoming departure of Eric Garcia may have given Stones the desire to stay and fight for his place, especially considering his defensive partner Nicolas Otamendi could also be on his way out of the club, should potential suitors manage to convince the Argentine of a significant wage decrease from his current earnings at the Etihad.
Should City manage to secure the signing of Koulibaly this summer, it is expected that recruitment in terms of arrivals will be complete, and Pep Guardiola will enter the 2020/21 campaign with the following names as his main central defensive options: Aymeric Laporte, Kalidou Koulibaly*, Nathan Ake and John Stones. The future of youngsters Tosin Adarabioyo and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, as well as the aforementioned Eric Garcia, are still yet to be rectified, however loan moves for the former could be targeted in order to prevent a hinderance to their development.
