Stones heads to Serie A champions
John Stones has chosen his next club. The former Manchester City defender will join Inter Milan, the Italian Serie A champions, after leaving the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2025-26 season. The 32-year-old departs as a free agent on 1 July 2026.
The move was reported by Fabrizio Romano. An agreement is in place for a two-year deal running until June 2028 with no option for an additional 12 months. The salary is worth around €4 million net per season.
Stones joined City from Everton in August 2016 for an initial £47.5 million. He spent a decade at the club, making over 300 appearances across Barnsley, Everton and City. His trophy haul includes six Premier League titles, the Champions League, three FA Cups and three EFL Cups. His final season brought one last piece of silverware: an FA Cup winners medal.
Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid had each been linked with interest at various stages of the summer.
Stones leaves behind a squad being rebuilt under new manager Enzo Maresca and director of football Hugo Viana. Marc Guehi joined City earlier in 2026, and Vitor Reis returned from his loan spell at Girona.