John Stones to leave Manchester City after decade at Etihad

Manchester City will lose more than an established defender this summer. John Stones is set to depart after a decade at the Etihad Stadium, closing a spell that produced 293 appearances, 19 major trophies and one of Pep Guardiola’s most influential tactical innovations.

Stones joined from Everton in August 2016 and was described by City as Guardiola’s second signing at the club. A five-year contract signed in August 2021 was designed to take him to the summer of 2026, and by the end of that deal he will have completed ten years in Manchester. City said Stones announced his decision in a video posted to his official Instagram page, with a tribute planned at the end of the season.

The numbers underline how central Stones became to City’s most successful era. He won six Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League, along with two FA Cups, five Carabao Cups, three Community Shields, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup. He also scored 19 goals and supplied nine assists, figures that reflect a defender who was used not only to protect City’s back line but to help control games much higher up the pitch.

That tactical flexibility is what makes his exit feel bigger than a routine veteran departure. Guardiola repeatedly trusted Stones in a hybrid role that pushed him into midfield during possession, including in the 2023 Champions League final. In a City side built on control and structure, Stones gave Guardiola an extra passing lane, an extra body in central areas and a way to tilt elite matches in City’s favour. His departure removes one of the clearest symbols of how Guardiola reshaped a centre-back into a midfield-linked operator.

The timing also points to a broader transition. Stones has had injury problems in recent months, with Guardiola saying on 10 April 2026 that he was missing from the squad for City’s FA Cup win over Liverpool but was moving closer to a return. England manager Thomas Tuchel also released him from international duty on 5 September 2025 because of minor muscle issues. Even so, Stones remained a significant figure as the season entered its final weeks, and City still had more silverware to chase. His exit suggests that Guardiola’s squad turnover is moving beyond isolated departures and into a more meaningful reset.