Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has indicated that John Stones’ future at the club will depend on his ability to stay fit. The England international’s contract expires at the end of the season, and the club have yet to decide whether to offer an extension following a series of injury setbacks.
Stones, 31, recently admitted he considered retiring last season due to persistent fitness problems. He made only 11 Premier League appearances and missed the final three months of the campaign with a hamstring injury. Although he has been an unused substitute in City’s last two league matches, he is hoping to start against former club Everton on Saturday after featuring for England during the international break.
“The club will decide what is best for John, we will see how he performs,” Guardiola said. “When John is fit, he is part of the group, the starting XI. The year of the treble he was unbelievable, but since then he has not had the consistency in games. He’s been injured many times, so we have to wait and see.”
Guardiola has previously stressed the need for players capable of featuring three times a week, a factor in Kevin De Bruyne’s departure last summer. Asked if Stones’ injury problems are behind him, the manager replied: “I hope so. I’m happy that he’s back with England and the confidence from Thomas Tuchel to him. There’s no doubt about his potential and quality.”
City will be without Rodri for the Everton match after the midfielder sustained an injury against Brentford, but Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush could return. Stones will not face former teammate Jack Grealish, who is on loan at Everton and ineligible against his parent club. Guardiola also joked about stopping in-form striker Erling Haaland, saying he would deploy “four central defenders” to contain him.
