Manchester City will wait to make a decision on John Stones’ future as concerns grow over the defender’s fitness, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed.
Stones, 31, is in the final year of his contract, and the club has yet to decide whether to offer an extension after another injury-disrupted spell. The England international made just 11 Premier League appearances last season and missed the final three months with a hamstring problem.
“The club will decide what is best for John,” Guardiola said. “When John is fit, he’s part of the starting XI — in the treble-winning season he was unbelievable — but since then, he hasn’t had consistency. He’s been injured many times, so we have to wait and see.”
Stones, who recently admitted he considered retirement last season due to recurring injuries, was an unused substitute in City’s past two league matches but hopes to return against former club Everton on Saturday.
Guardiola praised the defender’s recent return to England duty under Thomas Tuchel, saying: “I’m happy he’s back with his country. There’s no doubt about his quality. I hope his injury issues are behind him.”
City will be without midfielder Rodri this weekend after he suffered an injury against Brentford, though Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush could return. Everton loanee Jack Grealish, meanwhile, is ineligible to face his parent club.
Guardiola also joked about facing his own star striker, Erling Haaland, saying: “I had the pleasure to face him when he was in Dortmund — hopefully I’ll never have to face him again. He’s one of the top players in world football, and I’m very happy he’s on our side.”
