Manchester City Star Open To Serie A Move As Contract Comes To An End
Manchester City are yet to make a decision over John Stones as the Englishman's contract nears its end.
Louis Fargher
Updated on 04 February 2026
John Stones could be heading to Serie A during the summer transfer window as Manchester City stall over a new deal.
Manchester City Stall In John Stones Negotiations
John Stones will be out of contract at the end of the season and Manchester City are yet to offer the English international a new deal, as concerns grow over the defender’s injury record.
The 31-year-old has not featured since December 2nd, as Stones suffered a thigh injury against Fulham and has now missed the Cityzen’s last 17 matches across all competitions.
Even before his latest injury, Stones had made just four starts in the Premier League and appeared to have fallen down the pecking order under Pep Guardiola.
Stones has been a vital member of the Manchester City squad since joining in August 2016, making 290 appearances and winning six Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups, two FA Cups, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, his time in Manchester could be coming to an end before the 2026 World Cup and the England international has attracted interest from a host of European sides.
Inter Milan have already identified two summer targets, but Cristian Chivu is reportedly hoping to add John Stones to his shortlist before the 2026/27 campaign.
Serie A Giants Target John Stones
The Nerazzurri are enjoying a strong campaign under Cristian Chivu, as Inter Milan sit top of Serie A and face Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League Ro16 playoffs.
Despite this strong start, Chivu is already looking ahead into the future as Inter set a date for a new stadium alongside AC Milan – while also pushing for reinforcements this summer.
Inter already have a Manchester City defender on their books in Manuel Akanji, as the Switzerland international joined the Nerazzurri on loan last summer.
Chivu is hoping to bring Akanji in on a permanent basis and the Swiss defender could play a major role in convincing John Stones to complete a move.
However, Inter will face stiff competition from the likes of Everton and Aston Villa, as both sides are looking to sign Stones as a free agent.
According to reports, the Englishman is open to a move abroad but is leaning towards a Premier League switch – if Manchester City do not offer Stones a new deal.
The 31-year-old is earning a reported €15million per year, but is aware that he will need to accept a lower salary as any extension from City will be with a decreased wage and Inter are not going to match his current amount.
Louis Fargher
Louis has been an avid soccer enthusiast for multiple years and boasts knowledge across several leagues in Europe - including Serie A. Louis holds a degree in Soccer Journalism and has produced content for multiple clubs in the United Kingdom.
Our unbiased editorial policy
Despite ongoing collaborations with commercial affiliates, the details, information, and reviews we provide remain honest and unbiased. We keep this in check by implementing a stringent editorial policy.
Our policy implements strict editorial standards, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our articles, news, and reviews. Only the highest-quality content reaches our pages. We achieve this through conducting thorough research on each topic, conveyed to you using unbiased reporting, to ensure we earn your trust and keep it.
